TAIPEI: A powerful typhoon pounded Taiwan on Friday as authorities warned of "destructive winds" and urged locals to shelter from the storm.
Typhoon Champi dumped heavy rain, toppled trees and knocked out power to thousands of households as it swept past Taiwan's northeast on the way to China and Japan.
Most shops and schools were shut across Taiwan, hundreds of flights were cancelled and more than 4,300 people were evacuated from their homes ahead of the fierce storm.
One person has been killed in Taiwan after being swept away by waves whipped up by the typhoon, authorities said. At least 350 people have been injured.
"From tonight through tomorrow morning conditions will be very windy and stormy everywhere," Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Ling Ping-yu told a briefing.
"Please try to stay indoors during this period for your safety."
Government text messages sent as Champi buffeted northern Taiwan Friday night warned of "destructive winds" and urged people to "take shelter ASAP."
Champi is the latest in a busy Pacific storm season turbocharged by the El Nino weather phenomenon that has caused unprecedented warming in the equatorial Pacific.
The storm was briefly a super typhoon as it crossed the ocean, with reported maximum sustained wind speeds of nearly 300 kilometres (186 miles) per hour, but has since weakened.
It gathered strength as it neared Taiwan on Friday afternoon and now has maximum speeds of 185 kph, according to the latest update from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
Thousands of military personnel are on standby to assist with rescue efforts, and authorities are racing to restore power to more than 21,000 households.
"As it approaches Taiwan's northeastern tip... the typhoon may slow down. If it slows down, its impact will last longer," CWA's Lu Kuo-chen said.
Stores were closed on Japan's southwestern island of Ishigaki, near Taiwan, and business owners draped windproof nets over their shops in an attempt to protect them from the strong winds.
Some tourists were also stranded due to flight cancellations, with many sheltering inside hotels.
"Lot of shops and restaurants were still open yesterday, and I could stock up on food, but there's not much information online about the typhoon and what to do," said Laura Czypulovski, 33, who lives in Zurich.
"It is now a pain to get back home – especially because it impacts my following flights, and then it caused a lot of rebooking."
Professional storm-chaser James Reynolds posted a video on X from Ishigaki showing a "fierce storm tide" in a channel leading to the island's harbour as Champi's strong winds whipped across the water.
"I'm seeing the ocean do things I've not seen in 20 years of doing this!!" Reynolds said in the post.
'Extremely heavy rain'
Champi is expected to dump up to 90 centimetres (35 inches) of rain from Thursday to Saturday, with northeastern Taiwan to be hardest hit, the forecaster said.
More than 40 centimetres of rain was recorded in Yilan county on Friday.
"People should be aware that the strong winds and extremely heavy rain will continue into the first half of tomorrow," the CWA's Lu said.
Work and classes were cancelled for the day across nearly all of Taiwan, leaving streets quiet as most locals hunkered down at home. The stock exchange was also closed.
"I'm worried about flooding. The vegetables could get flooded and rot," a 73-year-old farmer surnamed Tsai told AFP in New Taipei City.
Convenience store worker Peter Chen said he was concerned about the weather conditions on Friday night when the eye of the typhoon would be closer to Taiwan's coast.
"We might prepare some sandbags," the 27-year-old said.
The United Nations said Wednesday that the El Nino system gripping the planet is heading off the charts and that countries should take urgent action to prepare for the worst.
El Nino is expected to peak in December, but the human impact is set to last into 2027 and beyond.
The warming phase of a natural climate cycle, El Nino temporarily raises sea temperatures in the tropical Pacific, triggering changes in weather that can increase the risk of drought and flooding and exacerbate human-caused global warming. — AFP
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