‘King of storms’: Super Typhoon Ragasa batters China, Hong Kong & Taiwan; viral videos capture chaos

One of the strongest typhoons in Asian history, and also dubbed the ‘king of storms’, Typhoon Ragasa carved a deadly path across the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and southern China, leaving behind floods, destruction and mass evacuations.The relentless storm unleashed towering waves, fierce winds and torrential rains before weakening over the Chinese mainland. Here are ten major developments.Taiwan – 17 missing, 32 injuredEastern Taiwan was hit hardest when a barrier lake burst in Hualien County. Floodwaters swept away a bridge and turned roads into rivers. Seventeen people died, 17 are missing and 32 were injured. In Guangfu township, which has about 8,450 residents, more than half moved to higher floors or safer ground as the water carried away cars and furniture.Philippines – Over 700,000 affectedThe storm first made landfall in the northern Philippines on Monday. At least 10 people were reported dead, including seven fishermen who drowned when their boat overturned off Santa Ana in Cagayan province. Five fishermen remain missing. Authorities said nearly 700,000 people were affected, with 25,000 sheltering in government evacuation centres.Hong Kong – Seawater crashes through hotelHong Kong woke to strong winds and heavy rain as Ragasa passed about 100 km south of the city. The observatory recorded winds of 195 kph, calling it a super typhoon. More than 90 people were injured. Hundreds of trees fell, a vessel hit the waterfront, and waves flooded restaurants and hotels. A viral video showed seawater crashing through the glass doors of the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel.Guangdong – Over 2 million evacuatedIn China’s Guangdong province, more than 2 million people were evacuated before Ragasa made landfall on Hailing Island near Yangjiang city at 5 pm Wednesday. Winds reached up to 144 kph at landfall. More than 38,000 firefighters and 400 emergency teams were on standby. The government allocated tens of millions of dollars for relief in Guangdong, Hainan and Fujian.Macao – Residents catch fish on streetsIn Macao, streets turned into rivers filled with debris. Schools, shops and casinos were closed. Rescue teams used inflatable boats to help people trapped in flooded homes. Power was cut in low areas for safety, and when waters went down, some residents walked into the streets to catch fish.Flights and travel disruptedHong Kong International Airport cancelled more than 600 flights earlier in the week. Shenzhen also suspended flights, though some resumed late Wednesday. Rail services in Guangxi were halted, and roads in affected regions remained blocked. Disneyland, horse races and schools were closed in Hong Kong as residents taped windows and stocked up on supplies.‘Tsunami from the mountains’Geologists described the dam burst in Taiwan as a “tsunami from the mountains” after it released about 15.4 million tonnes of water, equal to 6,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The floods swept away bridges, submerged cars and left the ground floors of houses underwater, forcing residents to shelter upstairs while waiting for rescue. Though the waters have gone down, thick mud and debris still cover the area, and search teams are going door-to-door to find the missing.Cleanup begins in southern ChinaHundreds of thousands of people in southern China began clearing up after Typhoon Ragasa hit Guangdong Province, bringing winds of up to 145 kph. Trees were uprooted, fences destroyed and signs blown off buildings. Around Yangjiang, streets were littered with debris, and some areas still had no electricity. On Hailing Island, relief teams worked to remove a large tree blocking a road while cars navigated muddy tracks to get around the wreckage.Climate changeExperts pointed to climate change as a driving force behind Ragasa’s strength. Shun Chi-ming, a former director of the Hong Kong Observatory, said, “Typhoons in the Western Pacific have grown in intensity as a result of higher temperatures in the sea and atmosphere. The warming has caused heavier rains when typhoons make landfall.”Ragasa’s next checkpointRagasa weakened after hitting southern China but remains dangerous. Forecasters expect the storm to move west towards Vietnam and Laos later in the week. Rescue and recovery operations continue across Taiwan, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Guangdong, where officials warn of significant damage still unfolding.