More than a million people have been evacuated from China’s southern Guangdong Province as Typhoon Ragasa continues its destructive journey, having already battered the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Chinese state media indicates that over 38,000 firefighters and 400 emergency teams are on standby in Guangdong, preparing for a direct impact from Ragasa, which is currently the year’s most powerful global storm.
After initially making landfall in the Philippines on Monday and briefly returning to sea, the typhoon struck Hong Kong early Wednesday. It inundated coastal areas, brought torrential rain, and unleashed powerful winds that ripped through the city, felling numerous trees. The China Meteorological Administration predicted Ragasa would continue its westward trajectory, making a second landfall in western Guangdong by Wednesday evening.
Taiwan experienced the typhoon’s wrath on Tuesday, with 15 confirmed fatalities and 17 people reported missing by Wednesday morning.
During a Tuesday evening press conference, Taiwan’s emergency services confirmed that a bridge had collapsed due to fierce floodwaters. All reported casualties and missing persons were from a specific area of Hualien County in the east, and over 8,000 residents across the island were evacuated.
Heart-wrenching videos shared on social media depicted residents trapped in their homes awaiting rescue, and cars swept away by the churning floodwaters. One particularly vivid video showed a woman desperately clinging to a utility pole in a market, submerged in chest-high water. Fortunately, authorities later confirmed her rescue.
Hong Kong International Airport saw at least 600 flights canceled from major carriers like Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines. Despite the disruptions, the airport announced that runways remained operational, and some dining and retail outlets would stay open around the clock to assist stranded travelers. Airport authorities confirmed that 600 flights were processed on Tuesday, and no passengers remained in restricted areas.
Flights from Shenzhen’s airport were halted from Tuesday evening, with a gradual resumption expected to begin at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
By Wednesday afternoon, Hong Kong authorities reported 62 injuries and widespread damage, including hundreds of fallen trees across the city.
Dramatic online videos captured seawater surging into various Hong Kong businesses, notably inundating the lobby of the seaside Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel. The forceful ingress of water through the hotel’s glass doors knocked a man off his feet, sweeping him across the lobby.
Anna Cholewka awoke Wednesday to disturbing CCTV footage: seawater forcefully breaching her restaurant’s doors, overturning tables and chairs. A powerful storm surge in Tseung Kwan O, an eastern neighborhood, had overwhelmed a sea wall, flooding the promenade where she and her husband, Mark Cholewka, operate their French bistro. With much of their restaurant’s furniture swept away, the couple faces uncertainty about reopening.
Expressing her grief, Ms. Cholewka, who founded Bistro La Baie almost three years prior, stated, ‘I cried. We poured our hearts into this place, dedicated to serving food we love to this community. Now, it’s just gone. It hurts deeply.’
According to Shun Chi-ming, former director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Western Pacific typhoons have intensified due to rising sea and atmospheric temperatures, a direct consequence of climate change. This warming trend leads to significantly heavier rainfall when these storms hit land.
Although Ragasa passed Hong Kong at a distance of 75 miles, largely sparing the city from catastrophic damage, Mr. Shun warned that mainland China is likely to experience much more severe impacts.
He emphasized that certain areas in western Guangdong would bear the full, devastating force of the typhoon.
Hong Kong had undertaken extensive preparations for the anticipated severe weather. Disneyland resort closed its doors, horse races were called off, and all classes were suspended. Residents cleared supermarket shelves, stocking up on essentials, while many taped their home windows for protection. Maintenance crews meticulously installed flood barriers, covered outdoor escalators, and anchored sculptures.
Macau, a prominent gambling hub, declared that all casinos would be temporarily shut down starting Tuesday evening.
Following its impact on China, the typhoon is projected to proceed westward, potentially affecting Vietnam and Laos later in the week.
Even regions already passed by the typhoon are still grappling with its lingering devastation.
Philippine authorities confirmed Wednesday that 40,000 individuals remain in evacuation centers. The official count includes four fatalities, among them a victim of a landslide, alongside 11 injured and one missing person. Approximately 34 bridges, predominantly on Luzon Island, sustained damage and became impassable.