Taiwan Closes Schools and Cancels Flights as Typhoon Champi Approaches

Key points

• Taiwan closed most schools and offices on Friday, 23 October, ahead of Typhoon Champi.
• Officials reported one death, 94 injuries and nearly 1,300 evacuations in the Reuters account.
• Authorities cancelled 262 domestic and 669 international flights; the storm's track and impact remain subject to change.

Taiwan shut most schools and offices on Friday, 23 October 2026, as Typhoon Champi approached. Reuters reported that the forecast track would pass close to the island's northeastern coast, but a forecaster said direct landfall could not be ruled out. A wide storm can bring damaging winds, heavy rain and transport disruption even if its centre stays offshore. The decision to close services reflects that risk rather than a prediction that every district will experience the same conditions.

Taiwan's Central Weather Administration put the storm about 320 kilometres east of the island's southern tip in the Reuters report. Champi had weakened from an earlier super-typhoon phase, but gusts near its centre were still around 191 kilometres per hour. A weakening headline therefore should not be mistaken for an all-clear. The location, wind field and rainfall forecast matter as much as a storm's category.

The human and transport impact

Reuters reported one death and 94 injuries, with almost 1,300 people evacuated from mountainous areas. Those are figures available when the report was filed, not a final accounting. Officials sent coastal alerts about gusts above 150 kilometres per hour and urged residents to shelter. Forecasters warned of nearly a metre of rain in some northern mountain areas, including around Taipei. Such rainfall estimates describe potential local accumulation; they are not a forecast for every neighbourhood.

The transport ministry said all 262 domestic flights and 669 international flights scheduled for Friday were cancelled. The north–south high-speed rail was still operating, while Taipei's public transport continued with reduced service. Travellers should check their airline or operator directly because individual services can change faster than a news article can be updated.

Why a near miss can still be dangerous

Taiwanese forecasters described the storm's radius as roughly 320 kilometres, broad enough to affect much of the island. Winds can reach the coast well before the centre makes its closest approach. Rainfall on steep ground can also trigger flooding or slope failures away from the strongest winds. These are general storm risks; the Reuters account does not confirm a specific landslide from Champi.

In Yilan county, where the typhoon was expected to pass close later Friday, local authorities distributed sandbags and prepared rescue vehicles and inflatable boats. These preparations are evidence of a precautionary response, not proof that every piece of equipment was deployed. The forecast track then had Champi turning north toward the Chinese coast and eventually southern Japan, but Taiwan’s weather agency said a wobble or stall could bring the centre ashore.

The most responsible way to follow the event is to use current local warnings for safety decisions and timestamp any reported casualties, evacuations or cancellations. These figures reflect the Reuters update available early on 23 October India time. Check current weather and transport notices before making travel or safety decisions, because the storm's movement and impacts can change.

Source: Reuters, 23 October local-time report on Taiwan and Typhoon Champi