A rare four-day halt to all boat service left the small Taiwanese island of Xiaoliuqiu isolated and its shops stripped bare, a headache for residents and a first for the route.

• Typhoon Shadel regained strength and hit southern Taiwan with heavy rain, gale-force gusts, and waves several metres high.
• Ferry operators cancelled all sailings for a fourth straight day — the longest stoppage since multiple companies began serving the island.
• Convenience store shelves are empty because stock meant for tourists sold out fast and no resupply boats could land.
• Schools and workplaces stayed open, so residents kept working while running down their own fridges.
• The shutdown began on the first day of the school term, drawing wider attention to how thin the island's supply line is.

Outlook: Boats are expected to sail again Friday, with residents set to rush the shops as soon as deliveries arrive.