The Asian continent is on alert! Flights are cancelled, citizens are worried

NEWS CENTER/ Recently, many places in the East Asian region have been preparing for one of the most severe storms of the year. In particular, the strong tropical cyclone Typhoon Champi, which is expected to hit Japan and Taiwan, is expected to reach eastern China and South Korea's Jeju island later.

The Central Meteorological Administration had reported that Typhoon Champi would cause heavy rain and wind in Taiwan on Friday morning. It is stated that the 320-kilometer radius of the storm will cover a large part of the country today.

The Meteorological Administration stated that the storm, which will be at its strongest during the night, will move away towards the south of Japan late on Saturday.

According to Taiwanese sources, up to 900 mm of precipitation and wind strength reaching up to 12 on the Beaufort scale are expected in the mountainous regions in the north and northeast of Taiwan.

CALL TO LEAVE RISK AREAS

Taiwanese authorities issued urgent safety alerts on Thursday ahead of Typhoon Champi making landfall. Following the emergency briefing, Prime Minister Cho Jung-Tai urged the public to stay away from all high-risk areas.

As Hurricane Champi approaches Taiwan, it is also causing heavy rain and strong winds in the Batanes island chain, located between southern Taiwan and the northern main island of the Philippines, Luzon.

FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED

As authorities prepare for Champi's arrival, numerous flights across East Asia have been canceled and thousands of passengers have been affected.

Authorities in Taiwan canceled all 262 domestic and more than 660 international flights scheduled for Friday, according to local media. Before the severe storm, railway and ferry services were suspended, and some highways were also closed.

Meanwhile, in Japan, major airlines such as Japan Airlines and ANA canceled more than 100 flights, mostly domestic, between Thursday and Sunday. It is estimated that these cancellations will affect at least 11 thousand passengers.

This looks set to be one of the most active typhoon seasons the region has seen in recent years.

Champi is Japan's 30th typhoon this year, making it the first time the country has seen so many storms since 2013.

According to the Okinawa Electric Company, 3,630 households in Japan are experiencing power outages due to the typhoon.

LOSS OF LIVES HAS STARTED

Business and school activities were suspended in almost all of Taiwan's 22 counties and cities on Friday as Typhoon Champi approached the island. Heavy rains began across the island, with some parts of Taipei city recording more than 200 mm of rainfall in 24 hours.

According to a press release issued by Taiwan disaster authorities, one person died yesterday after being swept away by the waves on Liuqiu, a small coral island located in the southwest of the main island of Taiwan.

The Chinese meteorological authority issued a "blue" alert, the lowest level in the four-level warning system, for Typhoon Champi. The storm is expected to pass the east coast of the country next weekend.