Super Typhoon Ragasa has caused widespread devastation across Taiwan, Hong Kong, and southern China, leaving at least 17 people dead and many others injured or missing. The storm, which made landfall on China's Guangdong coast on Wednesday, brought fierce winds, pounding rain, and high seas, leading to severe flooding and structural damage.
In Taiwan, at least 14 people were killed and 18 injured when a decades-old lake barrier burst in the eastern Hualien county. The death toll was revised down from 17 on Thursday. The fire department reported 33 people missing. The super typhoon also killed at least two people in the northern Philippines.
Hong Kong experienced widespread damage, including fallen trees and flooding in many areas. Storm surges smashed the glass doors of the Fullerton Ocean Park hotel, flooding its lobby. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the highest level of typhoon warning overnight, and the storm surge raised coastal waters more than 3 metres above reference levels. More than 760 people sought refuge at 50 temporary shelters across the city.
In mainland China, authorities ordered businesses and schools to close in at least 10 cities across the south, affecting tens of millions of people. Residents in high-rise buildings in Zhuhai were ordered to evacuate, with some moving into nearby hotels. China's marine authority issued its highest red wave warning for the first time this year.
Macau also experienced widespread flooding, and the utility company CEM suspended power supply to some low-lying areas. In Hong Kong, a five-year-old boy and his mother fell into the sea while watching waves in the Chai Wan district; both were in critical condition in hospital. The boy's father, who jumped in to save them, was also treated.
Rail travel was suspended across Guangdong province, and Hong Kong's MTR suspended train services on open sections, with limited service on underground sections. The airport operator cancelled hundreds of passenger flights, with only a limited number of cargo flights scheduled. Residents stocked up on supplies, with one Hong Kong resident expressing nervousness about potential power and water outages.
