Typhoon Champi strikes Taiwan leaving one dead and 170 injured

Typhoon Champi has struck Taiwan, causing widespread disruption, one death, and more than 170 injuries. UPI, Dem#333;crata, and The Straits Times all report that the storm killed at least one person, with UPI and Dem#333;crata adding that over 170 people suffered injuries. The Straits Times reported that the fatality happened as the island shut down ahead of the storm. [1][2][3]

UPI reports that the storm packed winds of up to 120 mph along with heavy rain. The fatality took place on Liuqiu Island, which is located off the coast of Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest city. The storm caused travel chaos throughout the region, forcing the cancellation of thousands of flights, according to UPI and Dem#333;crata. The Straits Times reported that nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled. [1][2][3]

The typhoon forms part of the ongoing 2026 Pacific typhoon season, which runs throughout the year with most tropical cyclones developing between May and October. The season began early in January with storm Nokaen and included Sinlaku, the season's first super typhoon, which caused severe damage in the Northern Mariana Islands. [4]

Forecasters project that Typhoon Champi will drop almost three feet of rain through Saturday evening, according to UPI. The storm is moving northwestward, passing near the southernmost islands of Japan's Okinawa chain, before heading toward the coast of China and then moving toward Japan's main island of Honshu. [1]