Taiwan Shuts Down Ahead of Typhoon Champi, Nearly 1k Flights Cancelled

Taiwan essentially shut down on Friday, 23 October 2026, ahead of the expected arrival of Typhoon Champi, which was forecast to bring strong winds and torrential rain even as it weakened. The storm was positioned about 220 km east of Taiwan and still carried gusts around 191 kph near its center, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration. Authorities said one person died and 171 were injured, with 2,639 people evacuated from mountainous areas. Taipower reported more than 77,000 homes lost power, though electricity was mostly restored. Taiwan’s transport system reflected the risk: all 262 domestic flights and 717 international ones were cancelled, while north-south high-speed rail continued. TSMC said operations were normal.