One Dead, 94 Injured: Typhoon Champi Batters Taiwan With 191 Kmph Winds, Over 100 Flights Cancelled
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Taiwan is bracing for torrential rain and powerful winds as Typhoon Champi approaches its north-eastern coast, with gusts reaching 191 kmph, at least one person dead and 94 injured, according to authorities.
The storm is forecast to bring up to 90 cm of rain through Saturday, when its worst effects are expected. Authorities have urged people to stay away from vulnerable coastal and mountainous areas, while evacuations are underway near a landslide dam on Taiwan’s north-east coast that could breach during the storm.
One Dead, 94 Injured As Taiwan Faces Storm Threat
Disaster officials said one person died on Thursday after being swept away by waves on Liuqiu, a small island south-west of Taiwan’s main island.
The fire department reported 94 injuries, many linked to traffic accidents and falls amid the storm conditions.
Authorities have issued urgent safety warnings, advising residents to avoid exposed coastal areas and mountains as heavy rain and strong winds threaten the island.
Although Champi is moving close to Taiwan’s east coast, it remains unclear whether the storm’s eye or centre will make landfall.
Hundreds Of Flights Cancelled Across East Asia
The typhoon has disrupted air travel across East Asia, with hundreds of flights cancelled in Taiwan and neighbouring Japan, affecting thousands of passengers.
In Japan’s Okinawa region, around 8,400 people are experiencing power outages linked to the storm, according to Okinawa Electric Power.
China’s meteorological authority has issued a blue alert for Champi, the lowest level in its four-tier warning system.
After passing close to Taiwan’s north-eastern coast, Champi is forecast to move near Japan’s southern Okinawa islands and the eastern coast of China before turning north-east towards mainland Japan.
Typhoon Champi Also Known As Rosal In The Philippines
The storm is known as Champi internationally, while Filipino meteorologists refer to it as Rosal, the local name for the gardenia plant.
Typhoon names are drawn from lists compiled by the World Meteorological Organization, a United Nations agency. Member countries and territories submit names, which can include local plants, animals and other cultural references.
Countries such as the Philippines also assign local names to storms because of the number that affect the country each year.
Typhoon names may be reused, but names associated with particularly destructive storms can be retired. Typhoon Haiyan, known as Yolanda in the Philippines, was retired after it killed more than 6,000 people in 2013.
Champi is the latest in a series of intense typhoons amid concerns over a warming Pacific Ocean and the potential influence of a developing Super El Niño on storm activity.
