Taiwan is under a state of emergency as Typhoon Champi approaches, forcing the suspension of work and classes across nearly all of the island’s 22 counties and cities. The powerful storm, which carries a 320km radius, is expected to envelop the entire island with torrential rain and wind gusts reaching up to 173 kph.
Scores of flights in Taiwan and neighboring Japan have been cancelled, collectively impacting thousands of travelers. The storm's arrival has prompted widespread disruptions as the region braces for one of the strongest storms of the year.
Emergency Response and Safety Warnings
Authorities have urged people to stay away from coasts and mountains, and are evacuating residents on the north-east coast living near a landslide dam at risk of breaching in the storm. The typhoon is expected to pass by Taiwan and the Okinawa islands of Japan today, before heading northwards towards eastern China and the South Korean island of Jeju over the weekend.
Meteorologists attribute the intensity of this season’s storms to a Super El Niño, which has significantly warmed the Pacific Ocean and fueled the development of the cyclone. As the storm continues to move, officials remain on high alert, monitoring wind gusts that have reached level 12, the highest on the Beaufort scale.
