Typhoon Champi Causes Severe Disruption in Japan and Taiwan
Typhoon Champi’s approach towards Taiwan and Japan has affected several sectors, from aviation to household electricity supplies, leaving thousands without power. Champi is the latest in a series of powerful typhoons developing as the phenomenon known as Super El Niño warms the Pacific Ocean and strengthens storm formation.
The typhoon, forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain, began approaching Taiwan, prompting the cancellation of hundreds of flights.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA) said on Friday, 23 October 2026, that Champi, a super typhoon and one of the strongest storms in the Pacific this year, was producing winds of around 191 kilometres per hour near its centre, Reuters reported.
The CWA said the storm was about 330 kilometres east of the southern tip of Taiwan. Its forecast track would take it just offshore of north-eastern Taiwan, before it turns north towards the Chinese coast and eventually moves towards southern Japan.
The administration said the storm’s radius extended for about 320 kilometres, wide enough to cover most of Taiwan. Weather experts expected its effects to last for nearly two days.
The Ministry of Transportation said 262 domestic flights were cancelled on Friday, along with more than 350 international flights.
Taiwan’s financial markets also closed on Friday. Only the Kinmen islands, which are controlled by Taiwan and lie close to the Chinese coast, kept schools and offices open as usual.
Rain and strong winds were reported in the capital, Taipei, but some public transport, including the metro, continued to operate, albeit with reduced services.
Schools closed in Taiwan
Most shops closed and schools across Taiwan were shut on Friday, 23 October, local time, as Champi approached the island. More than 1,000 people had to leave their homes ahead of the powerful storm.
At least one person died in Taiwan after being swept away by waves caused by the typhoon. Dozens of others were injured.
Heavy rain, strong winds and giant waves at sea were expected on Friday and Saturday, local time. Thousands of Taiwanese military personnel were placed on standby to assist with rescue efforts.
More than 1,200 people had been evacuated from their homes ahead of Champi’s arrival.
“As it approaches the north-eastern tip of Taiwan … the typhoon may slow down. If its speed decreases, its effects will last longer,” Lu Kuo-chen, an official with Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, said in a statement.
The CWA forecast that Champi could bring up to 90 centimetres of rain from Thursday to Saturday, with north-eastern Taiwan expected to be worst affected.
“People should remain alert because strong winds and very heavy rain will continue through the first half of tomorrow,” Lu said in the statement.
Work and education were suspended across almost all of Taiwan, leaving roads quiet as most residents chose to stay indoors and wait for the storm to pass.
Some businesses placed sandbags or metal barriers at their entrances to prevent floodwater from entering their premises.
3,600 homes lose power in Japan
According to the BBC’s correspondent in Tokyo, 3,630 households lost power because of the typhoon, Okinawa Electric Power said.
The utility said heavy rain and strong winds had created dangerous conditions for outdoor repair work. Power restoration efforts were therefore being carried out remotely.
Tokyo was cloudy, but the forecast showed rain for four consecutive days from Saturday.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged the public to remain alert to the typhoon’s effects.
In a post on X, she called on residents to be “extremely cautious of storm-force winds, high waves, landslides and storm surges through tomorrow”.
She also warned of possible flooding in low-lying areas and rising rivers that could overflow in Okinawa and Amami.
Many social media users replied to Takaichi’s post to thank her for continuing to provide updates. Some said fewer people now watched television or read newspapers for news updates.