Super Typhoon Champi towards Taiwan, canceled flights and waves over 6 meters

The storm is located 520 km southeast of the southern tip of the island. According to its trajectory, it should reach the north-eastern coast of Taiwan in the next few hours and then move towards northern China and finally towards southern Japan. Meteorologists predict violent winds, storm surges and heavy rainfall: air connections to and from the island have been cancelled

Typhoon Champi is moving towards Taiwan, a powerful storm that is now located about 520 km southeast of the southern tip of the island. This morning the Taipei government issued a land alert, predicting the arrival of the typhoon in the next few hours on the north-eastern coast: then its trajectory will move it north towards the Chinese coast and finally it will aim for southern Japan. Champi, as noted by Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA), has weakened slightly but continues to experience wind gusts of up to 227 km/h near its center. With such power, it is one of the most intense storms recorded this year in the Pacific.

Meteorologists predict violent winds, storm surges and heavy rainfall: conditions that have also led to the decision to cancel over 100 flights to and from Taiwan for safety reasons. The main cause for concern are the coastal and mountainous areas: the island authorities have in fact issued both land and sea alerts. As Reuters reports, waves exceeding 6 meters have been reported in some marine areas southeast of Taiwan and near the Hengchun Peninsula. The risk is that the sea could crash onto the coast and population centers, with flooding and damage to coastal structures.

Very strong gusts of wind are expected in the most exposed areas: the risks mainly concern ports, boats, signs and light infrastructures. Furthermore, the wind can also make walking near the sea dangerous: the alarm issued by the government warns citizens and invites them to stay at home. As regards the mountainous areas, heavy rainfall is expected which could reach a height of one metre. Such high amounts of rain can increase the risk of flooding, landslides and mudslides, especially on the most vulnerable terrain.