Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, killing one person and injuring more than 500 as the storm weakened and moved north toward the Chinese coast.
The powerful system uprooted trees, severed electricity supplies and forced large parts of the island, including the capital Taipei, to remain largely closed. Flights were cancelled across the country as authorities worked to secure transport hubs and restore basic services.
Champi, which had earlier been classified as a super typhoon and described as one of the strongest Pacific storms of the year, still produced wind gusts of around 126 km per hour (78 mph) near its centre, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration.
Power outages affected many households and businesses, prompting emergency crews to prioritize repairs and provide assistance to those injured. Local officials confirmed the death toll and the number of injuries as the storm continued its passage.
While the typhoon is losing intensity, meteorologists expect it to bring further rain and gusty conditions as it approaches the Chinese mainland. Taiwan, an island nation off the southeastern coast of China, is regularly exposed to tropical cyclones during the region’s typhoon season.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>
