Hundreds of flights cancelled, schools closed as Typhoon Champi hits Taiwan

Taiwan shut down schools and offices and grounded hundreds of flights as Typhoon Champi brushed by the island Friday, packing strong winds and torrential rains.

Champi peaked at 298 kilometres per hour maximum sustained winds earlier this week but has weakened to 155 kilometres per hour winds as it approached Taiwan from the southwest. Its centre is forecast to remain offshore as it sweeps by the island’s northeastern tip before turning north toward Japan’s southwestern islands.

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration urged residents in coastal areas to avoid outdoor activities and driving and be cautious of falling objects.

One person was killed Thursday after being swept by waves in Liuqiu, a small island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan’s main island, according to the fire department. Ninety-four others were injured in the storm.

Almost 1,300 people have been evacuated from vulnerable, mountainous areas, the government said.

Taiwan officials urged residents in coastal areas to avoid outdoor activities and driving and be cautious of falling objects. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

All of Taiwan’s 262 domestic flights were cancelled along with 669 international flights, according to the Transport Ministry. High-speed rail services on the western coast were operating normally.

In southwestern Japan, the typhoon has injured one person, grounded flights and knocked out power.

On Miyako island, a woman in her 70s suffered a broken leg in the blowing wind, according to the Okinawa prefecture government. On Ishigaki island, nearly 2,000 homes were without electricity.

Dozens of flights in and out of the southwestern islands, including Miyako, Ishigaki and Okinawa, have been cancelled.

In the Philippines, the coast guard prohibited ships and ferries from venturing into the increasingly choppy waters off several northern towns and cities Friday.

The main domestic airport in Batanes provincial capital of Basco was shut down Friday and two local flights were cancelled, Philippine aviation officials said. The airport’s windows were boarded up as a safety precaution.

In Cagayan province, nearly 200 people moved to safer grounds as a precaution, including nearly 100 who moved to government-run emergency shelters. Classes were suspended in all levels in the island town of Calayan off Cagayan due to the typhoon, provincial officials said.

Champi earlier this month blew past several Pacific islands, including Guam, where a federal disaster area was declared.