Hurricane Tracker Follows Typhoon Champi North After One Dead and 500 Injured in Taiwan
A hurricane tracker update shows Typhoon Champi continuing its northward path after sweeping past Taiwan on Saturday, where it left one person dead and more than 500 injured while downing trees and causing widespread power outages. The storm weakened from super typhoon strength but still generated strong winds as it moved toward the Chinese coast and waters near Japan.
Typhoon Impacts Taiwan with Fatalities and Injuries
Taiwan authorities reported one death from waves in Liuqiu along with 527 total injuries during the heavy wind and torrential rain. [2] The injuries included two Indonesians, five Vietnamese and two Malaysian nationals in addition to local residents. [5] Wind gusts touched 227 kph in some coastal areas, knocking down power lines and sending roof tiles flying. [2] Taipower said more than 288,000 homes had lost electricity though most had been reconnected. [2] The transport ministry said 259 flights were cancelled on Saturday after nearly 1,000 the previous day. [2] In the capital Taipei there were downed trees and on-off squally rain showers. [2] Governments in a swathe of northern and central Taiwan including Taipei declared a second day of office and school closures on Saturday. [2] A retired teacher surnamed Lin inspecting downed banana trees in his garden in Yilan said it was most terrifying around midnight and described a sleepless night. [2] Taipei resident Thomas Wang age 70 said the storm felt like something out of the horror film Poltergeist and called it quite scary. [2]
Storm's Path and Current Position
At one point a super typhoon Champi weakened but still produced gusts up to 227 kph in coastal Taiwan areas with the storm center about 170 km northeast of the island after making a rare offshore loop. [2] The storm center turned south around midnight hugging the Yilan coastline before making the rare loop offshore and moving away northward. [2] The storm’s forecast track shows it turning north tracking up the Chinese coast and eventually moving into southern Japan. [2] Large Typhoon Champi was traveling over waters north of the Sakishima Islands in Okinawa Prefecture on Saturday morning and was forecast to move north over the East China Sea through Sunday according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. [4] The 30th typhoon of this year could approach the Kyushu region in southwestern Japan on Monday morning and is expected to become an extratropical cyclone by Tuesday morning moving toward the Pacific off western and eastern Japan. [4] At 9 a.m. the typhoon was moving east at 15 kph over waters about 50 kilometers north-northeast of Yonaguni Island with a central atmospheric pressure of 980 hectopascals and wind speeds of up to 108 kph. [4]
Preparations and Response in China and Japan
China’s emergency management ministry sent a team to the eastern province of Zhejiang as Champi approached warning of strong winds and heavy rain through Sunday. [2] It said it had readied 400 rescue workers and 600 pieces of equipment while more than 41,000 firefighters were on emergency duty. [2] In Taizhou a city on Zhejiang’s coast more than 3,800 fishing boats returned to harbour offshore fish-farm workers were brought ashore and 2,084 island visitors were evacuated. [2] Authorities halted 25 offshore construction projects and suspended 18 passenger ferry routes. [2] The Japan Meteorological Agency is urging caution for possible heavy rain in northern Kyushu the Chugoku and Kinki western regions and the Hokuriku central region through around Monday. [4] On Saturday morning a weather front extending across western Japan brought heavy rain to Mie Prefecture. [4] The Mie town of Kihoku recorded 89.5 millimeters of rainfall in the hour through around 6:40 a.m. while the Mie city of Owase observed 302 millimeters in the 12 hours through 9:20 a.m. [4] On Ishigaki Island in Okinawa a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 126 kph was recorded shortly after 9:20 a.m. [4]
Indonesian Nationals Affected
Indonesia's Foreign Ministry intensified its coordination with Taiwanese authorities as two Indonesians suffered injuries amid Typhoon Champi that swept the island on Friday. [5] The two Indonesians were blown away from their vehicles a bicycle and a motorcycle due to winds from the typhoon and have received medical attention at local hospitals. [5] The Foreign Ministry through assistance from the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office in Taipei is coordinating with local authorities and families of the injured Indonesians. [5] Indonesia's representative office in Taipei has issued an advisory to all Indonesians in Taiwan to remain cautious monitor official updates about the typhoon and refrain from travelling except in urgent cases. [5] Indonesians needing assistance from the office in Taipei can call hotlines at +886-901-132-000 or +886-987-587-000. [5]
Other Severe Weather Alerts in the U.S.
Separate U.S. National Weather Service alerts reported ongoing flooding in southern Conejos County Colorado from excessive rainfall in the San Juan Mountains. [1] A flood warning for southern Conejos County in south central Colorado remained in effect until 115 PM MDT Saturday with flooding of rivers creeks streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations occurring. [1] Gauge reports indicated increased water flows from heavy rain over the San Juan Mountains. [1] A blizzard warning for Kivalina and Red Dog Dock stated blizzard conditions with additional snow accumulations up to 3 inches and winds gusting as high as 65 mph until 7 AM AKDT Saturday. [3] Travel could be very difficult in areas including the Baldwin Peninsula Kivalina and Red Dog Dock Lower Kobuk Valley and Northern Seward Peninsula with visibilities potentially dropping below a quarter mile due to falling and blowing snow. [3]
What to watch next: The storm is forecast to track north over the East China Sea approach the Kyushu region of Japan on Monday as it transitions to an extratropical cyclone with heavy rain warnings issued for parts of western and central Japan.
