Typhoon Ragasa Unleashes Havoc Across Asia, Leaving a Trail of Death and Devastation
Typhoon Ragasa continued its destructive path across Asia on Wednesday, prompting the evacuation of over one million people in southern China’s Guangdong Province. The powerful storm has already claimed at least 21 lives and injured dozens as it swept through the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong before making its impactful arrival on mainland China.
An interactive graphic visually tracks the typhoon’s core statistics, detailing its category, wind speeds, and projected course. A dynamic map further illustrates the storm’s current position, predicted trajectory, and regions at high risk of experiencing damaging winds.
China Braces for Direct Hit
Chinese state media reported extensive preparations as Guangdong, a densely populated province, braced for Ragasa’s direct impact. More than 38,000 firefighters and 400 emergency response teams were mobilized. Chinese authorities allocated $21 million in disaster relief funds to the southern provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, and Fujian. The typhoon made landfall around 5 p.m. local time on Guangdong’s Hailing Island, situated approximately 145 miles west of Hong Kong.
Ragasa, which briefly held the title of the world’s most powerful storm this year on Monday with sustained winds of 165 miles per hour, was still formidable upon its Chinese landfall. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii recorded sustained wind speeds of 120 miles per hour, categorizing it as equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane.
Hong Kong Endures Torrential Downpour and Flooding
Earlier in the day, Hong Kong was battered by relentless rain and fierce winds, resulting in hundreds of fallen trees and widespread coastal flooding. Hong Kong authorities reported 90 injuries by Wednesday evening.
Online videos depicted seawater surging into businesses across Hong Kong, including the lobby of the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, where a man was knocked off his feet. Anna Cholewka, owner of Bistro La Baie, recounted watching CCTV footage of the ocean bursting through her restaurant’s doors, overturning furniture. The storm surge breached a sea wall in Tseung Kwan O, flooding the promenade where her French bistro is located, leaving the couple uncertain about reopening. “I cried,” Ms. Cholewka shared, “It’s just gone now. It hurts.”
Typhoon Ragasa brought torrential rain to Hong Kong, though the city was spared the full force of the storm, which caused significant damage in Taiwan. Hong Kong had prepared for the worst, with Disneyland closed, horse races canceled, and classes suspended. Residents cleared supermarket shelves and taped their windows, while maintenance crews installed flood barriers and secured outdoor structures.
Hundreds of flights from major carriers like Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines were canceled earlier in the week at Hong Kong International Airport. While the airport authority reported handling all scheduled flights on Tuesday, the disruption was substantial.
Neighboring Shenzhen’s airport suspended flights from Tuesday evening, with a gradual resumption planned for Wednesday evening. The gambling hub of Macau also temporarily closed its casinos starting Tuesday evening.
Taiwan Suffers Deadly Flooding and Bridge Collapse
Ragasa’s initial landfall occurred in the Philippines on Monday, causing at least four fatalities. The storm then tracked south of Taiwan on Tuesday, where it killed 17 people and left 17 others missing by Wednesday evening.
Taiwan’s emergency department reported that raging floodwaters had collapsed a bridge. The casualties were concentrated in Hualien County, in the east, and over 8,000 people were evacuated across the island. Social media videos captured the dramatic scenes of residents trapped in their homes by murky floodwaters, with cars being swept away. One harrowing clip showed a woman clinging to a utility pole in a market to avoid being carried away by chest-high water; she was later confirmed to have been rescued.
Climate Change Fuels Intensifying Storms
Shun Chi-ming, former director of Hong Kong Observatory, stated that typhoons in the Western Pacific have intensified due to rising sea and atmospheric temperatures, a direct consequence of climate change. This warming trend leads to heavier rainfall when these powerful storms make landfall.
Despite skirting Hong Kong by 75 miles, Ragasa’s impact on mainland China was anticipated to be more severe. Mr. Shun warned, “For western Guangdong, there are places where they will get the full force of the typhoon.”
Outlook and Ongoing Recovery Efforts
Following its passage through China, Typhoon Ragasa is expected to continue its westward trajectory toward Vietnam and Laos later this week, likely weakening further. However, regions already affected days ago are still grappling with the aftermath. Philippine authorities reported 40,000 people remain in evacuation centers. The council confirmed four deaths, including one person killed by a landslide, 11 injuries, and one missing person. Approximately 34 bridges, primarily on Luzon Island, were damaged and rendered impassable.
Li You contributed reporting from Shanghai, and Jason Gutierrez from Manila.