Taipei: Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, killing one person and injuring 527 as powerful winds and torrential rain battered parts of the island. The storm, which was previously classified as a super typhoon, has weakened and is moving north towards the Chinese coast, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration.
The typhoon was located about 150 kilometres east of Taiwan on Saturday after passing close to the island’s northeastern coast. Despite weakening, Champi continued to produce wind gusts of around 126 kilometres per hour near its centre, causing damage to trees, buildings and power infrastructure.
Taiwan’s fire department confirmed that the sole fatality was a man swept away by waves near Liuqiu Island. Hundreds of people sustained injuries during the storm, as strong winds and heavy rain created hazardous conditions across affected areas.
The storm also disrupted electricity supplies. Taiwan Power Company said more than 167,000 households had lost power at the height of the typhoon, although electricity had been restored to most affected homes by Saturday.
Air travel was also affected, with 242 flights cancelled on Saturday. The disruption followed nearly 1,000 cancellations on Friday as authorities prepared for the storm’s arrival. Taipei experienced fallen trees and intermittent heavy rain, while parts of northern and central Taiwan, including the capital, extended school and office closures for a second day.
Authorities continued to monitor the typhoon as it moved towards China, with forecasts indicating that it could eventually travel towards southern Japan.
Taiwan regularly experiences typhoons and has established emergency preparedness systems, including evacuations and weather warnings. However, the storm’s widespread impact highlighted the risks posed by powerful autumn weather systems, particularly to coastal communities and transport networks.