Typhoon Champi kills one and injures more than 500 in Taiwan
The former super typhoon glanced off Taiwan's north-east coast, cutting power to 167,000 homes and closing offices and schools, before heading towards China and Japan.
Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, killing one person and injuring more than 500 as it uprooted trees and brought down power lines. Taiwan's fire department said a man was swept away by waves on Liuqiu island, and 527 people were hurt in the strong winds and torrential rain.
Earlier classified as a super typhoon and one of the strongest storms in the Pacific this year, Champi glanced off the island's north-east coast in the early hours. By Saturday morning it was about 150 km east of Taiwan and weakening, though still producing gusts of around 126 km/h near its centre, according to the Central Weather Administration.
The state utility Taipower said more than 167,000 homes lost electricity, most of which have since been reconnected. Large parts of northern and central Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, kept offices and schools closed for a second day, and some flights were still cancelled.
Forecasters expect Champi to turn north towards the Chinese coast and then move on to southern Japan. Taiwan is generally well prepared for typhoons, which helps keep casualties low; the storms are most common in summer but can also strike in autumn.