Key facts
- One person died and 163 were injured by Typhoon Champi.
- Over 2,600 people evacuated from mountainous areas in Taiwan.
- Taiwan's stock exchange and nearly all businesses closed on Friday.
- Nearly 1,000 flights were canceled due to the storm.
Almost all of Taiwan shut down on Friday as Typhoon Champi approached, bringing strong winds and torrential rain. The storm, which was once a super typhoon, was packing gusts of around 191 kph near its center, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA). The CWA stated the storm was about 170 kilometers east of Taiwan and its forecast track showed it passing just off northeastern Taiwan late Friday. One person was killed and 163 were injured, while 2,639 people were evacuated from mountainous areas. Over 77,000 homes lost power, though electricity was restored to most. TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, reported normal operations. Forecaster Liu Pei-teng noted that landfall could not be ruled out if the storm stalled or wobbled. Coastal towns received alerts warning of gusts exceeding 150 kph, and nearly a meter of rain was forecast for northern mountain areas. In the port town of Suao, authorities prepared for potential evacuations. In Keelung, boat owners secured vessels amid concerns of flooding. The storm's large wind radius meant its impact could last nearly two days. Taiwan's financial markets closed on Friday, with only the Kinmen islands operating normally. The transport ministry reported 262 domestic and 717 international flights canceled. Public transport in Taipei operated with reduced service. Taiwan is generally well-prepared for typhoons, which helps keep casualties low.