By Iroyin Yoruba Television
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — October 25, 2026
Typhoon Champi has left one person dead and 616 injured in Taiwan after powerful winds and torrential rain damaged infrastructure, uprooted trees and disrupted electricity and air travel across the island.
Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation Center reported the updated figures on Saturday evening, October 24, as the storm weakened and moved away from the island towards the waters near southern Japan.
The fatality involved a man who was swept away by storm-driven waves on a beach in Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, on Thursday, according to the emergency authorities.
The number of injured people rose as officials assessed the effects of the storm. Many injuries were attributed to falling trees, electricity cables, billboards and other damaged infrastructure.
More than 340,000 households lose power
The storm caused extensive disruption to electricity supplies. More than 340,000 households lost power at some point during the emergency, while approximately 22,000 households remained without electricity as of Saturday evening.
Authorities expected electricity to be restored to the remaining affected households later that night, although the final restoration figures were not yet available in the latest update.
The emergency centre also received 9,027 reports of damage. These included 3,287 reports involving fallen trees, 3,033 involving essential infrastructure and 1,014 concerning billboards and signs.
Taipei recorded the highest number of reported fallen trees, followed by Taichung. Municipal workers continued clearing debris and assessing damaged public facilities.
The figures illustrate the scale of the disruption even as the storm’s intensity declined. Fallen trees, damaged utility infrastructure and debris can continue to pose risks after the strongest winds have passed.
Heavy rainfall triggers precautionary evacuations
Champi brought exceptionally heavy rainfall to parts of Taiwan. Yilan County recorded 650 millimetres of accumulated rain from Thursday through Saturday afternoon, while Taoyuan and Hsinchu counties each received more than 500 millimetres.
Taipei recorded approximately 469.5 millimetres during the same reporting period.
Authorities evacuated 4,960 people as a precaution against landslides and other hazards in vulnerable areas. The measures were intended to reduce the risk to residents as saturated ground and continuing rain threatened communities in mountainous and low-lying locations.
Officials continued monitoring weather conditions after the storm moved away, because the risk of flooding, landslides and falling debris can persist after a tropical system weakens.
Flights and public services disrupted
The storm also disrupted aviation. Taiwan’s transport authorities reported hundreds of flight cancellations during its passage, with services affected across the island.
Schools and government offices in several northern and central areas, including Taipei, were closed for a second day on Saturday as authorities prioritised public safety and recovery work.
Strong winds also damaged trees and power lines in urban areas, while transport operators and emergency services worked to clear affected routes and restore normal operations.
Storm weakens but recovery continues
Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration lifted its land warning for Champi on Saturday afternoon after the system weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm and moved farther away from the island.
However, the authorities continued monitoring the storm’s movement and the possibility of further rain in parts of Taiwan. The weather system was tracking north-northeast towards the waters near southern Japan.
Champi had previously strengthened into a super typhoon, making it one of the strongest storms in the Pacific this year. Its passage near Taiwan produced severe coastal gusts, including reported gusts of approximately 227 kilometres per hour in some areas.
Taiwan is experienced in preparing for tropical cyclones, but the latest damage demonstrates the continuing risks posed by powerful autumn storms. The combination of extreme rainfall, strong winds and coastal waves can overwhelm infrastructure and endanger people even when a storm does not make a direct landfall.
The immediate priorities remain restoring electricity, clearing damaged roads, assessing buildings and other public infrastructure, and assisting residents affected by the storm.
Although Champi has moved away and weakened, the full cost of the damage and the final number of people affected will depend on continuing assessments. Authorities have not yet provided a complete final accounting of the economic losses.
For Taiwan, the incident is another reminder that disaster preparedness must be followed by rapid recovery measures and continued vigilance after severe weather has passed.