One dead, 500 hurt as Champi batters Taiwan, then turns towards Shanghai

Taiwan suffered devastating impacts from Typhoon Champi on Saturday, with one fatality and over 500 injuries reported. The powerful storm, which reached super typhoon status in recent days, left tens of thousands without power and triggered brief flooding. Emergency crews rushed to restore electricity to affected households as the typhoon moved north towards China and Japan.

Over 5,000 residents were evacuated ahead of the storm, which toppled trees, brought down power lines, and caused flooding. Nearly 56,000 households remained without power Saturday, as Champi continued to batter the island. The western county of Miaoli recorded nearly 24 centimeters of rain, while wind speeds remained strong at 176 kph.

Authorities in China warned of "strong winds and heavy rain" as Champi approached its east coast, suspending train services and evacuating tens of thousands in Shanghai. The storm also caused flight cancellations in Japan’s Okinawa region, where two people were injured. The UN cautioned that the El Nino weather phenomenon, which has fueled unprecedented warming in the Pacific, would peak in December but its human impact would persist into 2027 and beyond.