Typhoon Champi passes Taiwan, leaving 1 dead and 527 injured
A man was carried off by waves from Liuqiu island, Taiwan's fire department said, as the weakening storm sat about 150km east of Taiwan.
Typhoon Champi passed Taiwan on Saturday (Oct 24), leaving one person dead and 527 injured, according to CNA. Taiwan's fire department put the toll at one death, a man carried off by waves from the island of Liuqiu, along with 527 injuries.
Early on Saturday the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Champi had grazed Yilan County on Taiwan's northeast shoreline and now lay roughly 150km to the island's east. Among the most powerful Pacific storms of this year, Champi had at one stage reached super typhoon strength. The CWA said the typhoon is losing strength, though winds near its core still gust at roughly 126 kilometres per hour.
Looping offshore near Yilan
Around midnight the storm's centre turned south and hugged the Yilan coastline, then made a rare loop offshore before heading north. Some coastal areas were struck by gusts of about 227kmh, which toppled power lines and sent roof tiles flying through the air.
A retired teacher surnamed Lin, checking banana trees felled in his Yilan garden, said: "It was most terrifying around midnight," "It was a sleepless night."
Power, flights and closures
Taipower said more than 288,000 homes lost electricity at one point, though most had been reconnected. Friday saw almost 1,000 flights cancelled, but the transport ministry said the figure had fallen to 242.
Taipei had downed trees and on-off squally showers. Parts of northern and central Taiwan, Taipei included, declared office and school closures for a second day on Saturday.
Preparations in China
The forecast track shows the storm turning north, moving up the Chinese coast and eventually into southern Japan. Forecasters did not anticipate that the storm would come ashore in China.
Strong winds and heavy rain are expected until Sunday, the emergency management ministry in China cautioned, as it dispatched a team to Zhejiang, an eastern province. More than 41,000 firefighters were on emergency duty, the ministry said, and 400 rescue workers along with 600 pieces of equipment had been made ready.
State media reported that in Taizhou, on the Zhejiang coast, 2,084 island visitors were evacuated, offshore fish-farm workers were brought ashore and more than 3,800 fishing boats returned to harbour. Offshore construction work at 25 projects was stopped by the authorities, who also suspended 18 passenger ferry routes.
