Taiwan authorities issued a land warning on Thursday as Typhoon Champi advanced across the Philippine Sea.
Packing winds with peak gusts surpassing 227 km/h, the powerful storm expanded its storm radius to nearly 320 kilometers, threatening broad swathes of eastern and northern Taiwan with torrential rainfall and dangerous sea conditions.
Regional travel chaos
The storm’s rapid approach triggered massive regional travel disruptions. Over 200 flights across Taiwan and Japan were canceled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
Major regional carriers suspended domestic and international routes, while maritime transport services were halted as coastal areas prepared for wave heights exceeding six meters.
Weather officials urged residents in mountainous regions to prepare for potential landslides and sudden flash flooding.
Military operations impacted
In addition to civilian disruptions, Typhoon Champi forced critical schedule adjustments to ongoing international defense operations. A major joint military drill involving 56,000 Japanese and US personnel – alongside allied forces from Australia and the Philippines – had to scale back and modify daily training schedules to protect personnel and hardware from severe sea states.
Military spokespersons confirmed that activities are being reassessed day-to-day as commanders monitor the storm’s trajectory.
Forecast and outlook
Meteorologists predict Typhoon Champi will skirt past northeastern Taiwan before veering north toward southern Japan, keeping the region under severe weather alerts for the next two days.
Authorities urge all residents and travelers in the path of the storm to monitor official updates closely and stay indoors until conditions improve.
