Typhoon Champi shuts Taiwan as hundreds of flights are cancelled

Rain forecast for northeastern Taiwan

90 cm of rain

Up to 90 centimetres of rain is forecast for northeastern Taiwan through Saturday, along with strong winds and giant waves.

Work and classes were suspended in nearly all of Taiwan's 22 counties and cities, and the stock exchange closed. One person was swept away by waves and died, 171 were injured and more than 1,000 were evacuated.

What's next

The eye is expected to pass without making landfall in Taiwan, but forecasters cannot rule it out if the storm stalls. It should then hover off China's east coast before curving toward Japan.

In Japan, nearly 8,400 households lost power in Okinawa and more than 160 flights were cancelled across four airlines.