Typhoon Champi Closes Schools and Cancels Over 900 Flights Across Taiwan and Japan

Taiwan authorities ordered a full shutdown of schools and government offices on Friday as Typhoon Champi swept near the island. The move grounded 931 flights, including 262 domestic and 669 international services, according to the Transport Ministry. High-speed rail lines on the western coast kept running, and the Taipei subway remained open despite gusty winds and light showers.

The storm system reached peak intensity earlier this week with sustained winds of 298 kilometres per hour. It has since slowed to 155 kilometres per hour as it approaches from the southeast. The storm has a radius of roughly 320 kilometres, covering most of the island. Forecasters expect the center to stay offshore as it passes the northeastern tip before turning north toward Japan.

The death toll in Taiwan stands at one. Fire department officials reported that a person died on Thursday in Liuqiu, a small island off the southeastern coast. Waves swept the individual away. Ninety-four other people were injured. The government evacuated more than 2,600 residents from vulnerable mountainous regions to ensure their safety before the winds peaked.

Japan's southwestern region is also feeling the effects. In Okinawa prefecture, strong winds injured a woman in her 70s on Miyako Island, breaking her leg. Power outages hit nearly 2,000 homes on Ishigaki Island. Dozens of flights to and from Miyako, Ishigaki, and Okinawa were cancelled. The system is expected to reach Japan's southern mainland on Monday.

The Philippines faced disruptions in the north as well. Coast guard officials barred ships and ferries from sailing in rough waters off several northern towns. The main domestic airport in Basco, the capital of Batanes province, closed its doors on Friday. Aviation officials cancelled two local flights. Workers boarded up windows at the airport as a precaution against flying debris.

In Cagayan province, nearly 200 people moved to safer ground. Almost 100 of them took shelter in government-run emergency facilities. Provincial officials suspended classes in the island town of Calayan. This follows a path that took Champi over several Pacific islands earlier this month, including Guam, where a federal disaster area was declared.