_updates.jpg)
Taiwan cancelled hundreds of flights on Friday as Typhoon Champi, the strongest storm on Earth in 2026, neared the region's north-east coast.
As reported by the BBC, schools and offices in the East Asia region were shut down as the strong winds lash the island.
Will Typhoon Champi lead to landfall?
It remained uncertain whether the typhoon will lead to landfall; however, the storm was forecast to bring 90 cm of rain and strong winds to the northeast until Saturday.
Casualties in Taiwan amid Typhoon Champi
One person died after being swept away by waves, authorities revealed. The storm has so far injured 171 people and has forced 1,000 residents to evacuate.
Champi is the latest in a string of intense typhoons as a Super El Niño heats up the Pacific Ocean and fuels storms.
On Friday afternoon, Champi was packing wind gusts of 191 km/h.
Typhoon Champi's expected path
After passing Taiwan's north-eastern tip and the Okinawa Islands in southern Japan, Champi is expected to hover over the waters off China's eastern coast before curving farther to the northeast to Japan's main island.
Rainfall is expected to peak on Saturday morning and continue to batter Taiwan until Saturday evening, the Central Weather Administration said.
Taiwanese authorities have urged people to stay away from coasts and mountains.
It was reported that only Kinmen County, an archipelago located to the west of Taiwan's main island, had their school and work open for operations amid the typhoon.
In Japan, power cuts were reported in nearly 8,400 households in the southern Okinawa prefecture, according to the local power company.
More than 160 flights have been cancelled across four Japanese airlines.
