TAIPEI, Taiwan | October 24, 2026 | Typhoon Champi left one person dead and 527 injured in Taiwan after powerful winds and torrential rain battered the island, toppling trees, damaging infrastructure and disrupting transportation before the storm weakened and moved away from the coast, Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operations Center reported.
The Central Weather Administration lifted its land warning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday after downgrading Champi to a tropical storm. The storm was centered about 260 kilometers northeast of Taipei at 2 p.m., moving north-northeast to northeast at 18 to 21 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 108 kph and gusts reaching 137 kph, according to the weather agency. A sea warning remained in effect, with officials expecting to lift it later in the day.
The sole reported fatality occurred in Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, where a man was swept away by storm-driven waves on a beach on Thursday. The emergency operations center said most injuries occurred in Taipei and Taichung and were caused by falling trees, electrical cables and billboards, as well as damaged water pipes.
Champi’s passage also disrupted electricity supplies and air travel. More than 288,000 households reportedly lost power at the height of the storm, while most affected customers had been reconnected. Hundreds of flights were canceled, following nearly 1,000 cancellations on Friday, as authorities maintained closures of schools and offices in parts of northern and central Taiwan.
The storm approached Taiwan’s northeastern coast near Yilan County before looping offshore and turning north. Some coastal areas experienced exceptionally strong gusts, while heavy seas remained a hazard even as the system weakened. The Central Weather Administration continued monitoring rainfall, particularly in mountainous areas where heavy downpours can trigger flooding and landslides.
Authorities in neighboring China also prepared for Champi’s approach toward the eastern coast. The Hong Kong Observatory reported on Saturday that the storm was expected to cross the East China Sea and weaken progressively over the following days.
Taiwan regularly experiences tropical cyclones, particularly during the western North Pacific typhoon season. Its weather authorities issue separate land and sea warnings to alert residents, transport operators and maritime users to changing risks. The lifting of a land warning does not necessarily mean that coastal waters, mountainous areas or locations exposed to heavy rain are immediately safe.
Residents were urged to remain cautious around rough seas, damaged power infrastructure and unstable trees as recovery and cleanup operations continued.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
