Symbolic imageTaiwan and China prepare as Super Typhoon Champi approaches
Super Typhoon Champi is nearing Taiwan and eastern China, prompting warnings, an emergency response and flight cancellations.
On Thursday, 22 October, Taiwan issued a land warning ahead of the typhoon's arrival, according to Reuters. The New York Times reports that Taiwan's mayors are weighing a typhoon day off from work and school, and quotes one expert saying the likelihood of such a closure rises 31 percent in an election year.
Flights cancelled
Airlines in Hong Kong cancelled or rescheduled more than a dozen flights to and from Taiwan and Japan, the South China Morning Post reports, with further disruption expected. HK Express cancelled 10 Hong Kong-Taiwan flights for Friday (six to Taipei, two each to Taichung and Kaohsiung) and postponed four others to Saturday. Taiwanese airlines cancelled Hong Kong-Taipei and Hong Kong-Kaohsiung flights for Friday and Saturday.
China activates emergency response
China activated a Level IV emergency response for flood and typhoon control in Shanghai, Zhejiang and Fujian, Global Times reports.