Super Typhoon Ragasa tore across East Asia on Wednesday, leaving at least 14 people dead in Taiwan, flooding Hong Kong’s streets and forcing cities in southern China to shut down.
In Taiwan, officials said a decades-old barrier gave way in eastern Hualien county, unleashing a lake that swept through nearby communities. Eighteen people were injured. The storm had already killed two people in the northern Philippines before striking the island.
By mid-morning, Ragasa was churning past Hong Kong, where hurricane-force winds uprooted trees, smashed windows and pushed seawater into low-lying districts. Videos verified by AFP showed a storm surge breaking through the glass doors of the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel and flooding its lobby. “We are doing all we can to mitigate the impact,” a hotel spokesperson said.
Floodwaters also poured into Heng Fa Chuen, a seaside housing estate, while strong winds ripped the top off a pedestrian footbridge. Hundreds of flights were cancelled and rail services largely suspended. Authorities reported more than 760 people had taken shelter in emergency centres.
At Chai Wan, a mother and her five-year-old son were swept into the sea as they watched waves crash along the coast. Police said both were in critical condition. The boy’s father, who tried to rescue them, was also hospitalised.
Hong Kong’s Observatory issued its highest typhoon warning overnight and warned that waters in some coastal areas rose more than three metres above normal. “This one was forecast to be quite bad so we were expecting a bit of chaos,” said Benjamin Phizacklea, a 27-year-old chef. “But everywhere seems to be functioning quite efficiently still.”
Neighbouring Macau also endured heavy flooding. The local power company cut electricity to some low-lying areas as a precaution.
On the mainland, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management said Ragasa was expected to make landfall between Zhuhai and Zhanjiang in Guangdong province by late Wednesday. Schools and businesses in at least 10 southern cities were ordered shut, affecting tens of millions of people.
In Yangjiang, west of Hong Kong, normally busy streets and train stations were deserted. One shopkeeper told AFP she was unsure whether she could open her convenience store: “It will depend on the weather conditions,” she said.
For Hong Kong’s emergency services, the strain has been immense. An off-duty firefighter surnamed Tse said he had just finished an 11-hour shift. “This one was non-stop,” he said, adding that he worried about the city’s bamboo scaffolding in the winds.
With Ragasa now moving into China, regional authorities remain on high alert. The storm, one of the strongest to hit the region in years, has already left a trail of destruction across three countries—and officials fear its damage is far from over.
About the Author
