Typhoon Champi has hit Taiwan, leaving one dead and 527 injured. The storm is weakening and heading north towards the Chinese coast, with no landfall expected there.
The man who died was swept away by waves near Liuqiu Island, south of mainland Taiwan. The Taiwanese fire department said it was the only death linked to the typhoon, while the number of injured has risen to 527.
Winds damaged power lines and buildings
The center of Champi“ passed about 150 kilometers east of Taiwan after making landfall on the northeastern coast in Yilan County. Gusts of up to 126 kilometers per hour were measured around the eye of the storm, and in some coastal areas, winds reached about 227 kilometers per hour.
The strong gusts toppled trees, utility poles, and roof tiles. More than 288,000 households were temporarily without power, although much of the damage has since been repaired. Heavy rains were reported in mountainous areas, with a weather station in Yilan reporting more than 500 millimeters.
“It was the worst around midnight“, a retired teacher from Yilan told Reuters as he inspected fallen banana trees in his garden.
Hundreds of flights cancelled
The storm has cancelled 242 flights and closed schools and offices in northern and central Taiwan for a second day. More than 2,600 people have been evacuated from vulnerable mountainous areas. Authorities have warned of landslides, falling objects and strong waves.
The Taiwan Meteorological Administration expects the rains to gradually ease, but forecasts predict significant amounts of rain in the northern and eastern parts of the island. Local authorities said power restoration and road clearance were ongoing.
Preparations along China's coast
China's Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a team to Zhejiang Province. 400 rescuers and 600 pieces of equipment have been prepared, and more than 41,000 firefighters have been put on standby. More than 3,800 fishing boats have returned to ports, workers from seafood farms have been brought ashore, and 2,084 island visitors have been evacuated.
Authorities have also suspended 18 passenger ferry services and suspended work on 25 offshore construction projects, while “Champi“ is moving north and gradually losing strength.
Sources: reuters.com, marketscreener.com, taipeitimes.com