Hundreds of flights cancelled across East Asia as Typhoon Champi roars toward Taiwan

Hundreds of flights cancelled across East Asia as Typhoon Champi roars toward Taiwan

Taiwan is bracing for powerful Typhoon Champi, which is set to make landfall on Friday with gusts of up to 173 kph (107mph) and a 320km radius that will envelope the entire island

Taiwanese authorities have urged people to stay away from coasts and mountains, and are evacuating residents on the north-east coast living near a landslide dam at risk of breaching in the storm

Scores of flights in Taiwan and neighbouring Japan have been cancelled, affecting thousands of passengers

Champi is the latest in a string of intense typhoons as a Super El Niño heats up the Pacific Ocean and fuels storms.