Tropical Storm Champi nears China after battering Taiwan, Japan

Typhoon Champi, once a super typhoon, made its way towards China after causing significant damage in Taiwan and Japan's southern islands. The storm reduced to a tropical storm, with wind speeds dropping to 102 km/h. Over 5,000 people were evacuated in Taiwan prior to the storm's arrival. In the affected areas, trees toppled, power lines fell, and brief flooding occurred.

One fatality and over 600 injuries were reported since Thursday when warnings were issued. Power has been restored to around 90% of the 340,000 households impacted by the storm. Most shops in northern and central Taiwan closed for a second day as the storm moved away from the northeast and headed towards China. The Central Weather Administration advised that coastal regions would still face swells and strong wind gusts.

Champi is part of an active storm season influenced by the El Nino weather pattern, which has caused unusually high equatorial Pacific temperatures. Authorities in China issued warnings of strong winds and heavy rain as the storm approached their east coast, resulting in suspended train services and evacuations in several Chinese regions.

Hundreds of flights were canceled, including in Japan's Okinawa prefecture where two people were injured. Tourists on a nearby island waited for flight rescheduling to return home. The UN highlighted the concerning situation caused by the El Nino system, predicting that its impact will last until at least 2027.