Transport Ministry halts 931 flights as Typhoon Champi weakens
The storm killed one person, injured 94, and forced the evacuation of 2,600 residents in Taiwan.
By Harper Laurent ·
Taiwan's Transport Ministry cancelled all 931 scheduled flights, comprising 262 domestic and 669 international services, on Friday as Typhoon Champi passed close to the island.
The storm had reached peak sustained winds of 298 kilometres per hour earlier in the week. By Friday, its intensity had dropped to 155 kilometres per hour as it moved from the southeast. Forecasts indicate the storm's centre will remain offshore as it passes the northeastern tip of the island before turning north toward Japan's southwestern islands.
The fire department reported one death on Thursday. A person was swept away by waves in Liuqiu, a small island off the southeastern coast. A total of 94 others were injured during the storm. Government officials said more than 2,600 people were evacuated from vulnerable mountainous areas.
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration advised residents in coastal regions to avoid outdoor activities and driving. The agency also warned the public to watch for falling objects. Schools and offices across the island closed for the day.
Transport services in the capital, Taipei, largely remained open. The subway continued to run, and the city experienced only light showers and gusty winds. High-speed rail services along the western coast also operated normally. Experts expect the storm's greatest impact on Taiwan to last through Saturday.
The typhoon, which has a radius of about 320 kilometres, is wide enough to cover most of the island. The system is expected to reach Japan's southern mainland on Monday. In southwestern Japan, the storm has already injured one person, disrupted flights, and cut power to nearly 2,000 homes on Ishigaki island.
In the northern Philippines, coast guard officials barred ships and ferries from sailing in rough waters off several towns. The main domestic airport in Basco, the capital of Batanes province, closed and cancelled two local flights. Provincial officials suspended classes in the island town of Calayan, and nearly 200 people moved to safer ground, including almost 100 who went to government-run emergency shelters.
