Taiwan issued a land warning on Thursday, October 22, as powerful Typhoon Champi approached the island, prompting the cancellation of more than 100 flights.
The storm is expected to pass near Taiwan’s northeastern coast before moving toward China and southern Japan.
Although Champi has weakened slightly from super typhoon strength, it continues to pack wind gusts of up to 227 kilometers per hour.
Authorities also warned of waves exceeding six meters and heavy rainfall that could reach nearly one meter in mountainous areas near the capital, Taipei.
President Lai Ching-te urged residents to prepare and avoid coastal and mountain areas.
The storm is expected to come closest to Taiwan late Friday. In Japan, major airlines have also cancelled more than 100 flights from Thursday through Sunday, affecting over 11,000 passengers.
Taiwan has reported no evacuations so far, while its rail services remain unaffected.
