Typhoon Champi shuts Taiwan's schools and offices, grounds hundreds of flights

Taiwan shut schools and offices in most cities and counties on Friday and grounded hundreds of flights as Typhoon Champi brushed the island's east coast, AP reported. Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Center said one man died after being swept away by waves in Pingtung County, and 1,286 people had been evacuated as of 8 a.m. local time.

The BBC reported that flights in neighboring Japan were also canceled and thousands of households in Okinawa lost power. Forecasters said the heaviest rain in Taiwan was expected through Saturday.

Why it matters: Officials are also watching a landslide-dammed lake in Hualien, where residents nearby were evacuated as a precaution.