Typhoon Champi hits Taiwan: one dead, 171 injured, schools and offices closed

Taiwan closed schools and offices across most of the island on Friday as Typhoon Champi approached, with local authorities warning residents to stay in safe areas. The Central Weather Bureau had expanded its warning to 19 regions the day before, noting that while the storm was weakening, a direct landfall could not be ruled out.

The storm left at least one person dead and 171 injured, according to the Central Emergency Operations Center. The fatality was a man swept away by waves on Xiaoliuqiu Island in Pingtung County, while most injuries resulted from motorcycle falls and traffic accidents.

“The typhoon left at least one person dead and 171 injured in Taiwan.”

Authorities recorded 1,726 incidents across the island, mostly involving basic services, infrastructure, and fallen trees. The state power company Taipower said more than 100,000 households lost electricity at some point during the storm, though over 75 percent had service restored by Friday evening.

Nearly a thousand flights were canceled, financial markets closed, and classes and work activities were suspended. By 2 p.m. local time on Friday, 2,639 people had been evacuated, most from mountainous areas of New Taipei City in the north.

At 7:15 p.m. local time, Champi was about 130 kilometers east of Yilan County, moving north-northeast with maximum sustained winds of around 155 kilometers per hour. Earlier, gusts near the island had reached approximately 191 kilometers per hour.