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Super Typhoon Champi, packing winds of more than 227 kilometres per hour, is heading towards Taiwan, with the powerful storm expected to pass northeast of the island before turning towards the Chinese coast and eventually moving towards southern Japan.
More than 200 flights have already been cancelled across the region due to the storm. It has also forced changes to plans for a major military exercise involving the United States and Japan.
According to a Reuters report, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Champi had intensified into a super typhoon, making it one of the most powerful storms to hit the Pacific region this year.
Although the storm weakened slightly on Thursday, wind speeds near its centre remained above 227 kph (141 mph). The weather agency said its radius had expanded to around 320 kilometres (199 miles), large enough to cover much of Taiwan.
According to the CWA, Champi was located about 520 kilometres (320 miles) southeast of Taiwan’s southern tip. Its projected path suggested that it could pass northeast of Taiwan, turn towards China’s coast and subsequently move towards southern Japan.
Reuters reported that meteorologists expected the storm’s effects to last around two days. Authorities have already sent mobile phone alerts to coastal cities, warning of waves exceeding six metres (20 feet).
Heavy rainfall is also forecast in mountainous areas around Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, and in the island’s northern mountain regions, with precipitation potentially reaching around one metre (three feet).
The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and dangerous waves to coastal areas, raising concerns about potential disruption across the region.