Champi leaves one dead, 527 injured as it passes Taiwan

Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan offshore, leaving one person dead and 527 injured as the storm weakened and moved away from the island, officials said Saturday, October 24. The Central Weather Administration lifted its land warning at 2:30 p.m. after Champi weakened into a tropical storm. The storm’s centre remained offshore as it passed near Taiwan’s northeastern coast. The agency said it was moving away, though heavy rain and dangerous coastal conditions continued. Taiwan’s fire department said the man who died was swept away by waves from Liuqiu. The Central Emergency Operations Centre said most injuries resulted from falling trees, power cables and billboards, as well as damaged water pipes. More than 500 injuries had been reported by Saturday morning, with most in Taipei and Taichung. The storm caused major disruption to air travel. Taiwan’s transport ministry reported 242 flight cancellations on Saturday, following nearly 1,000 on Friday. Schools and offices remained closed for a second day in parts of northern and central Taiwan, including Taipei, as authorities responded to the storm’s aftermath. Power outages affected more than 146,000 households, according to...