Typhoon Champi leaves 1 dead and 527 injured in Taiwan, Reuters says
Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on October 23, 2026, leaving one person dead and more than 500 injured as severe winds downed power lines, ripped off roof tiles, and disrupted regional transportation, according to Reuters.
Casualties and Infrastructure Damage in Yilan and Taipei
The storm’s center hugged the coastline of Yilan County before making an offshore loop and heading north, bringing wind gusts of up to 227 kph (141 mph) to coastal areas, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration reported. Reuters noted that the island’s fire department confirmed one death—a man swept away by waves from the island of Liuqiu—alongside 527 injuries recorded during the torrential rain and high winds. Power utility Taipower stated that over 288,000 homes lost electricity, though crews reconnected most customers by Saturday. In Taipei, fallen trees and squally rain showers disrupted morning routines, prompting regional governments to declare a second day of office and school closures.
It was most terrifying around midnight. It was a sleepless night. I haven’t seen anything like this in many years.
That observation came from a retired teacher surnamed Lin while inspecting downed banana trees in his Yilan garden, as reported by Reuters. In the capital, 70-year-old resident Thomas Wang described the squalls to Reuters as feeling like something out of the horror film “Poltergeist.” The transport ministry confirmed that flight cancellations improved to 259 on Saturday, down sharply from nearly 1,000 cancellations on Friday.
Diverging Forecast Tracks Toward China and Japan
While Reuters reports that Champi is tracking north toward the Chinese coast without an expected landfall, emergency preparations in neighboring provinces remain active. China’s emergency management ministry deployed a response team to eastern Zhejiang province, stationing 400 rescue workers and placing more than 41,000 firefighters on emergency duty. State media cited by Reuters detailed that authorities in Taizhou recalled more than 3,800 fishing boats to harbor, brought offshore fish-farm workers ashore, evacuated 2,084 island visitors, halted 25 offshore construction projects, and suspended 18 passenger ferry routes as Champi’s outer bands approached.