Typhoon Champi slammed into Taiwan's eastern coast on Thursday, unleashing powerful winds and record-breaking rainfall that left at least two people dead and dozens injured. The storm, one of the strongest to hit the island in years, triggered widespread travel chaos, grounding hundreds of flights and forcing the closure of schools and businesses across several counties.
Storm leaves trail of destruction
The typhoon made landfall near the coastal city of Hualien, a popular gateway to Taiwan's dramatic Taroko Gorge, with sustained winds of up to 190 kilometres per hour. Footage from the region showed towering waves crashing against seawalls and streets transformed into fast-moving rivers. In the capital, Taipei, authorities reported fallen trees and damaged rooftops, while in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, storm surges flooded low-lying neighbourhoods.
Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Centre confirmed two fatalities: a motorcyclist struck by a falling branch in New Taipei City and a farmer electrocuted by a downed power line in Pingtung County. At least 38 people were injured, mostly by flying debris and traffic accidents. The storm also knocked out power to more than 500,000 households, though utility crews worked through the night to restore electricity.
Travel disruption and school closures
The storm brought transport networks to a standstill. Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration reported that over 400 domestic and international flights were cancelled, including all services to and from Hualien and Taitung airports. High-speed rail services between Taipei and Kaohsiung were suspended for most of the day, stranding thousands of commuters. Ferry services to outlying islands such as Penghu and Kinmen were also halted.
Authorities ordered the closure of all schools and government offices in 13 cities and counties, affecting more than 1.2 million students. Many businesses in the affected areas shut early, and stock market trading was suspended for the day. The Ministry of Transportation urged residents to avoid non-essential travel, warning of landslides and rockfalls on mountain roads.
For European travellers, the disruption is a reminder of the importance of checking EU rules on compensation for disrupted travel. While Taiwan is not part of the EU, many European airlines operating in the region are subject to EU regulations, which can offer passengers refunds or rerouting options in cases of severe weather.
Climate context and regional impact
Typhoon Champi is the fifth tropical cyclone to hit Taiwan this year, and scientists point to warmer sea surface temperatures in the western Pacific as a key factor intensifying such storms. "The frequency of extreme rainfall events is increasing," said Dr. Mei-Ling Chen, a climatologist at National Taiwan University. "We are seeing storms that stall and dump enormous amounts of water in a short period, which overwhelms drainage systems and increases flood risk."
The storm's effects were also felt in neighbouring Japan, where the outer bands brought heavy rain to the southern Okinawa islands, and in the Philippines, which had earlier been hit by the same weather system. In Taiwan, the agricultural sector suffered significant losses, with fruit orchards and vegetable farms in the east reporting widespread damage. The government has pledged emergency relief funds for affected farmers.
As the typhoon weakened and moved towards the Taiwan Strait, authorities began the slow process of recovery. Cleanup crews worked to clear debris from major roads, and engineers assessed damage to bridges and rail lines. For many residents, the immediate concern is the risk of further landslides in mountainous areas, where the soil remains saturated.
The disruption comes at a time when global travel is already facing challenges from extreme weather. For those planning trips to Asia, experts advise monitoring forecasts and purchasing flexible tickets. Meanwhile, the EU's recent efforts to standardise passenger rights, such as the new refund form for disrupted travel, aim to ease the burden on travellers caught in such situations.
As Taiwan begins to rebuild, the storm serves as a stark reminder of the growing intensity of tropical cyclones in a warming world. For the island's 23 million residents, resilience is a way of life, but each new typhoon tests the limits of preparedness.
