Storm weakens as 931 flights cancel

Typhoon Champi moved past Taiwan on Friday after weakening from peak winds of 298 kilometres per hour to 155 kilometres per hour. The storm caused one death and 94 injuries across the region. The government evacuated more than 2,600 people from mountainous areas as rain and wind battered the island.

The fire department reported one person died on Thursday in Liuqiu, a small island off the southeastern coast. The individual was swept away by waves. In southwestern Japan, a woman in her 70s broke her leg on Miyako island due to strong winds. Nearly 2,000 homes on Ishigaki island lost power.

The Transport Ministry in Taiwan cancelled all 262 domestic flights and 669 international flights. This total of 931 cancellations halted air traffic across the island. High-speed rail services on the western coast continued running without interruption. The storm’s radius of 320 kilometres covered most of the country, yet the Taipei subway remained open.

Taipei experienced only light showers and gusty winds on Friday. Schools and offices closed throughout the nation. The Central Weather Administration told residents to avoid driving and stay away from outdoor activities in coastal zones. Authorities warned people to watch for falling objects as the storm tracked north.

In the northern Philippines, the coast guard stopped ships and ferries from sailing near several towns. The main domestic airport in Basco, Batanes, closed and cancelled two local flights. Workers boarded up airport windows as a precaution. In Cagayan province, nearly 200 people moved to safer ground, including almost 100 who entered government-run shelters.

Classes suspended at all levels in the island town of Calayan. Provincial officials linked the closure directly to the typhoon conditions. The storm is expected to reach Japan’s southern mainland on Monday. It had previously passed over Guam earlier in the month, prompting a federal disaster declaration.