Typhoon Champi Shuts Down Taiwan Nearly 1,000 Flights Canceled
Offices, schools, markets and nearly every flight are halted as a weakening but still powerful storm approaches, and forecasters say it could yet come ashore.
Typhoon Champi brought Taiwan to a near standstill on Friday, forcing the cancellation of flights across the island as it approached with powerful winds and torrential rain.
The storm has weakened, but officials say it could still make a direct landfall. At one point it was a super typhoon, among the strongest in the Pacific this year, and it reached its peak on October 20. Friday morning, the Central Weather Administration put the storm about 220 kilometers, or 137 miles, east of Taiwan. Gusts of around 191 kilometers per hour were still blowing near its center.
Forecasters expect Champi to pass just off the northeastern coast and then turn north toward the Chinese coast. From there it should move into southern Japan. But they cannot rule out a direct landfall on Taiwan if the storm slows down or changes direction on the way in.
The storm’s size is just as significant as its strength. Typhoon Champi has a wind radius of about 320 kilometers, large enough to cover most of Taiwan at once. Meteorologists warned that if the typhoon slows down or changes course, its strong winds and heavy rain could affect the island for close to two days, increasing the risk of flooding, power outages and transport disruptions.
The damage has started. One person has died, and 171 have been injured in Taiwan, the government said. Officials have evacuated 2,639 people from mountain areas. More than 77,000 homes lost electricity, according to the power company Taipower, and supply has been restored to most of them.
A pedestrian holds an umbrella as Typhoon Champi approaches Taiwan, in Keelung, Taiwan, October 23, 2026. REUTERS.
Residents in coastal areas received mobile alerts warning of wind gusts exceeding 150 kph and urging them to seek shelter immediately. Forecasters said nearly a metre of rain could fall in Taiwan’s northern mountains, including areas around Taipei.
In the northeastern county of Yilan, where wind and rain were picking up, officials handed out sandbags and put amphibious vehicles and inflatable rescue boats on standby. The military will help with evacuations and disaster relief if needed. On Thursday, about 23,000 troops were reported to be ready for rescue work.
In the northern port city of Keelung, boat owners rushed to tie down their vessels. Liu Yu-en, an 18-year-old construction worker, said he was not too worried about the wind. The flooding was his concern. “Keelung has seen a lot of flooding this year,” he said.
Almost everything has stopped. Financial markets in Taiwan are closed, and schools and offices are shut across most of the island. Only the Kinmen islands, which Taiwan governs and which lie close to the Chinese coast, are operating as usual.
Air travel has been the hardest hit. Taiwan’s transport ministry said all 262 domestic flights and 717 international flights were cancelled for the day, bringing the total to nearly 1,000. The number of cancelled international flights rose through the week as the typhoon approached, with foreign carriers also adjusting schedules. Thai Airways cancelled six flights to and from Taiwan.
Rail and public transport remain in operation, though at reduced capacity. The high-speed rail service connecting northern and southern Taiwan remains operational, while bus and subway services in Taipei are running on a reduced schedule.
Taiwan is used to this. It is generally well prepared for typhoons, and the preparation helps keep casualties low. These storms are more common in summer but can strike in autumn, as Champi has shown.
After Taiwan, the typhoon is forecast to pass over Yonaguni, Japan’s westernmost inhabited island, in Okinawa Prefecture, before moving farther north. With flights canceled and markets closed, Typhoon Champi shuts down Taiwan for what forecasters say could be nearly two days.
