Taiwan shuts down ahead of weakening Typhoon Champi, hundreds of flights cancelled

TAIPEI: Almost all of Taiwan shut down on Friday ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Champi, which is forecast to bring strong winds and torrential rain, although the storm is weakening and is not expected to make direct landfall on the island.

At one point a super typhoon and one of the strongest storms in the Pacific this year, Champi was still packing gusts of around 191kph near its centre, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The storm was about 330km (205 miles) east of Taiwan's southern tip, the CWA said. Its forecast track shows it will pass just off northeastern Taiwan, turn north towards the Chinese coast and eventually move into southern Japan.

The administration said its radius was around 320km, large enough to cover most of Taiwan, and weather experts said its impact could last nearly two days.

Taiwan's financial markets will also close on Friday, while only the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands, which lie next to the Chinese coast, will open schools and offices as normal.

The transport ministry said all 262 domestic flights scheduled for Friday had been cancelled, along with more than 350 international flights.

Taiwan is generally well prepared for typhoons, helping to keep casualties low. Although more common in summer, the storms can strike in autumn, bringing strong winds and torrential rain.

The typhoon is forecast to first pass over Japan's westernmost inhabited island, Yonaguni, in Okinawa Prefecture.