Taiwan almost entirely shut down on Friday ahead of Typhoon Champi. Offices, schools and financial markets closed, nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled, and forecasters warned that the weakening storm could still make direct landfall on the island.
Once a super typhoon and one of the strongest Pacific storms this year, Champi was still packing gusts of about 191 kph near its centre and was around 220 km east of Taiwan, according to the island's Central Weather Administration. Its forecast track takes it just off northeastern Taiwan before it turns north toward the Chinese coast and into southern Japan, passing first over Yonaguni, Japan's westernmost inhabited island in Okinawa Prefecture.
The government said one person had been killed and 171 injured, and 2,639 people had been evacuated from mountainous areas. More than 77,000 homes lost power, though electricity was restored to most. The transport ministry said all 262 domestic flights and 717 international flights were cancelled for Friday.
Forecasters said the storm's radius of about 320 km was large enough to cover most of Taiwan and its effects could last nearly two days. Coastal towns received phone alerts warning of gusts above 150 kph, and nearly a metre of rain was forecast for northern mountain areas around Taipei. In northeastern Yilan county, authorities handed out sandbags and put amphibious vehicles and inflatable rescue boats on standby.