The world's strongest typhoon put East Asia on alert: Thousands of flights were canceled, life stopped

There were major cancellations and widespread closures in Taiwan as the world's most powerful storm moved towards the coast. The island of Taiwan was virtually paralyzed on Friday as Typhoon Champi moved towards its shores with strong winds and heavy rains.

The giant typhoon, which surpassed the US-based Hurricane Polo with its wind speed and reached the Category 5 level, also caused casualties as it approached the coasts of Taiwan. Official authorities reported that one person died and 163 people were injured in the first negative effects caused by the approaching storm.

Taiwan's Central Meteorological Administration announced that the epicenter of the typhoon was located 170 kilometers east of the island and created a huge wind radius in the region. Forecasters warn that if the storm center slows down, heavy rain and storms will affect the island for much longer.

Extensive security measures against floods and overflows have been implemented in the northern states. While sandbags were distributed to the public in critical port cities, especially in Yilan province, military amphibious vehicles and rescue boats were dispatched to the region for possible evacuation operations.

Regional administrators announced that evacuation operations in risky areas where floods may occur will be carried out with the support of the army. Residents of the region are increasing their precautions to protect their properties before the weather conditions get worse.

Experts state that the sea surface temperatures in the Pacific being above seasonal norms paved the way for the storm to intensify to this degree. The impact of the typhoon, which is expected to move to the coasts of China and then to Southern Japan after passing Taiwan, is not limited to the Asian continent.

Meteorologists emphasize that the giant cyclone affects atmospheric balances by attracting global jet streams. Climatic fluctuations caused by the storm are expected to cause unstable and harsh weather changes in North America, especially in Canada's Ontario and Quebec regions, starting from the middle of next week.