Disasters · Typhoon ChampiTaiwan typhoon Champi: One dead, 94 injured as schools close and flights haltAired October 23, 2026 at 6:18 AM UTCWritten October 23, 2026 at 6:24 AM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:07Storm-driven waves swept a man to his death on a beach.0:10Most schools and businesses across Taiwan are closed, and hundreds of flights are0:14canceled.0:14More than 1,200 people have reportedly left their homes.0:17Will dangerous coastal conditions and heavy rain force more families to evacuate0:21before the warnings can be lifted?0:23Taiwan's land warning covers Yilan, Hualian, Taitung, and Pingtong.0:27Officials issued it on October 22nd.0:30The Central Weather Administration kept sea and land warnings active the following0:34day, with Champi forecast to move northward east of the island.0:38Families face widespread school closures at the same time most businesses have shut.0:43Air travel is severely restricted too.0:45The emergency measures are already affecting daily life across the island while the0:49storm approaches.0:50Emergency officials counted one death and 94 injuries by 6.30 Friday morning.0:55That gives a more precise picture of the human toll than the earlier description of0:58dozens hurt.0:59The count could still change as the storm continues.1:02The man who died was swept away by storm-driven waves at a beach in Luchu Township,1:06Pingtong County.1:07His death puts the danger at the coast into concrete terms.1:10Even as Champi's strongest sustained winds have been falling, more than 1,200 people1:15have reportedly evacuated their homes.1:17Residents have also been evacuated along the northeast coast near a landslide dam at1:21risk.1:22It isn't clear how many of those displaced people came from that area.1:25Taiwan's Transport Ministry says all 262 domestic flights have been cancelled, along1:30with more than 350 international flights for passengers.1:33The disruption reaches both routes within Taiwan and journeys overseas.1:36The cancellation period for those figures hasn't been specified.1:39The ministry's earlier October 22 count was 125 canceled flights, mostly domestic.1:45The later numbers don't give a precise like-for-like increase because their time1:49coverage is unclear.1:50Hundreds of regional cancellations also overlap with Taiwan's disruption, so adding1:55that broader description would risk counting flights twice.1:57Champi's sustained winds fell from 55 meters per second on October 20 to 48 on2:03October 22nd.2:04By October 23rd, they were down to 43 meters per second.2:07That sequence shows the storm weakening while Taiwan remains under warning.2:11Champi had previously reached super typhoon strength.2:14Its weakening still leaves dangerous winds and a threat of heavy rain.2:17Sustained wind measures the wind over a period of time.2:20A gust is a shorter burst, so those measurements need to be kept separate.2:23The official gust figure was 58 meters per second on October 22nd, equivalent to2:28208.8 kilometers an hour.2:30The following day's warning put gusts at 53 meters per second or 190.8 kilometers an2:36hour.2:36Both figures describe powerful bursts of wind.2:39Champi was earlier reportedly producing gusts above 227 kilometers an hour.2:44The time, location, and measurement method behind that estimate aren't clear.2:49That leaves open whether its difference from the official figures reflects2:52weakening, different measurement methods, or an error.2:54Strong winds and heavy rain are forecast for Taiwan on Friday and Saturday, October2:5923 and 24.3:00Southern Japan is also within the forecast area.3:03The immediate risk extends beyond the wind as rain threatens areas where people have3:07already been moved.3:07Further evacuations will depend on how those coastal and rainfall dangers develop.3:12Officials haven't said when displaced residents can return or when the travel3:15restrictions will end.3:16Taiwan's sea and land typhoon warnings remain active.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗