Taiwan spent Friday night listening to the wind. Trees came down across roads, signboards flew loose, and in Yilan County the rain simply would not stop. By Saturday morning, Typhoon Champi had moved past the island, but it left a long list of damage behind it.
Typhoon Champi brushed past Taiwan’s east and northeast on Friday, October 23, 2026, killing one man and injuring hundreds of people, according to Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operations Center. More than 5,000 people were evacuated, nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled on Friday, and power was cut to around 280,000 households at the peak. The storm did not make a direct landfall, but its size meant most of the island felt it. It is now weakening and moving toward Okinawa, eastern China and Japan.
Quick Facts
- What: Typhoon Champi, briefly a super typhoon earlier this week
- Where: Eastern and northeastern Taiwan; next Okinawa, eastern China and mainland Japan
- When: Rain from Thursday, October 22; strongest impact Friday night into Saturday, October 24
- Deaths: 1 in Taiwan, a man swept away by waves in Pingtung County
- Injuries: Rose from 94 on Friday morning to 350 by Friday night; later reports put it above 500
- Key number: Up to 900 mm of rain forecast by Taiwan’s weather agency between Thursday and Saturday
What Happened When Typhoon Champi Reached Taiwan
Champi was one of the strongest storms of 2026. At its peak it briefly packed winds of nearly 300 km/h, Al Jazeera reported. By the time it reached Taiwan it had weakened, but the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center still measured maximum winds of about 185 km/h on Friday.
Earlier forecasts had the storm hitting the island’s southern tip. Instead, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA) tracked it turning north and skirting the east coast. That spared Taiwan a direct landfall, but the outer bands still lashed the island for hours.
The one confirmed death was a man washed away by waves in Pingtung, Taiwan’s southernmost county, according to the Associated Press. Most injuries came from falling trees, flying debris and slips on flooded roads. In one case reported by Focus Taiwan, two university students on a scooter hit a fallen tree near their campus in Hualien on Thursday night. Both had minor injuries and went home after treatment.
Along the coast, the sea was the bigger threat. Waves of up to 6 metres swept a large crane into the water at Fugang Harbor in Taitung County, and waves of up to 8 metres pushed seawater onto roads at nearby Changbin Harbor. Part of the roadbed on Provincial Highway 9 near Duoliang Village also washed away, forcing a lane closure.
Rain, Power Cuts and Evacuations
Yilan County in the northeast took the heaviest rain. More than 400 mm fell there on Friday alone, and about 650 mm had fallen since Thursday, Al Jazeera reported. CWA forecaster Lu Kuo-chen had warned the storm could slow near the northeastern tip, which would drag out the rain.
Authorities moved people out of landslide-prone hill areas before the worst arrived. New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih said 1,397 residents in districts such as Yingge, Xindian, Pingxi and Shulin were to be evacuated, while Yilan moved 350 people out of Datong and Nan’ao townships. Across Taiwan, more than 5,000 people left their homes.
Power cuts hit around 280,000 households at the peak, according to figures from Taiwan’s power authorities cited by United Daily News. Crews worked through the night. About 80% of homes had electricity back by Saturday morning, though tens of thousands were still waiting.
Taiwan Flights Cancelled, Shops Shut
Air travel took a big hit. Taiwan’s transport ministry reported almost 1,000 cancelled flights on Friday, with 563 at Taoyuan International Airport alone. On Saturday, 259 flights were still cancelled. Dozens of ferry services were also suspended, and most shops in northern and central Taiwan stayed shut for a second day.
On Saturday morning, the weather agency said land warnings would be lifted by the evening. Focus Taiwan later reported that the land warning was lifted after Champi was downgraded to a tropical storm.
Where Typhoon Champi Goes Next: Okinawa, China and Japan
Champi is not done yet. It is forecast to hang around Okinawa, move toward China’s eastern coast and then turn northeast toward mainland Japan.
- Japan: Two people were injured in Okinawa, and around 8,400 households there lost power on Friday afternoon, according to Okinawa Electric Power Company.
- China: Chinese authorities warned of strong winds and heavy rain for parts of Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated in Shanghai, and some train services were suspended.
Earlier this week the storm also passed close to Guam, tearing off roofs and knocking down trees, AccuWeather reported.
Why It Matters: A Season of Extreme Storms
Champi arrives as forecasters warn about a powerful El Niño. Celeste Saulo, head of the World Meteorological Organization, said the current El Niño “could be unprecedented in strength,” and the UN expects it to peak in December, with effects running into 2027.
For Indian readers, this is worth following. El Niño years have often been linked to weaker monsoons in India. Any official outlook for 2027 will come from the India Meteorological Department, so watch for its forecasts rather than reading too much into a single storm.
What We Don’t Know Yet
- The final injury count. Numbers rose sharply through Friday and different outlets reported different totals at different times.
- The full cost of damage to farms, roads and harbours in Taiwan.
- How strong Champi will be when it reaches China’s coast and mainland Japan.
What This Means for You
- Flying to or via Taipei, Shanghai or Okinawa this weekend? Check your airline’s app before leaving for the airport. Cancellations were still running into the hundreds on Saturday.
- Family or friends in Taiwan? Indian students and workers there should follow local CWA alerts and stay clear of coasts and hill roads until warnings are fully lifted.
- Follow official updates: The Central Weather Administration posts live typhoon tracks and warnings in English.
FAQs
How many people died in Typhoon Champi in Taiwan?
Taiwanese authorities confirmed one death, a man swept away by waves in Pingtung County. Hundreds of people were injured.
Did Typhoon Champi make landfall in Taiwan?
No. It skirted the east and northeast coast without a direct landfall, but its large size brought strong winds and heavy rain to most of the island.
Are flights in Taiwan cancelled because of Typhoon Champi?
Almost 1,000 flights were cancelled on Friday and 259 on Saturday. Services should recover as warnings are lifted, but check with your airline first.
Where is Typhoon Champi heading next?
It is forecast to move near Okinawa, then toward eastern China, and later turn northeast toward mainland Japan while weakening.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera, the Associated Press (via ABC News) and Focus Taiwan.
Leave a Reply