Govind Tekale
Super Typhoon Ragasa made landfall near Yangjiang in southern China on Wednesday evening, after leaving at least 17 people dead in Taiwan and causing significant damage in Hong Kong. The powerful storm has triggered massive evacuations and continues to threaten one of the world’s most densely populated regions.
Devastating Impact Across Region
In Taiwan, the disaster unfolded when the debris-formed Matai’an Creek Barrier Lake overflowed, sending a wall of water through Guangfu Township in Hualien County. The lake breach killed 17 people, with 17 others still missing as of Wednesday evening. A bridge collapsed under the raging floodwaters, and many residents were forced to shelter on rooftops.
Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung‑tai prioritized disaster relief as authorities had been monitoring the natural dam for weeks. However, the heavy rainfall from Ragasa accelerated the process.
Hong Kong Lashed by Wind and Waves
Hong Kong experienced destructive winds with gusts reaching 168 kilometers per hour (104 mph) as Ragasa passed about 100 kilometers south of the city. Dramatic footage showed seawater crashing through glass doors at the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, flooding the lobby and sweeping people off their feet.
At least 90 people were injured across Hong Kong, and 885 residents sought refuge in temporary shelters. The Hong Kong Observatory issued its highest T10 typhoon signal early Wednesday before gradually lowering it as the storm moved away.
Similar Posts
Storm surges flooded coastal neighborhoods including Heng Fa Chuen, and Tseung Kwan O. Anna Cholewka, who runs a French bistro with her husband in Tseung Kwan O, described watching CCTV footage of seawater bursting through their restaurant’s doors, flipping tables and chairs.
“I cried,” said Cholewka, who opened Bistro La Baie just over two years ago. “We put a lot of thought into this place to serve the food that we love to this community. It’s just gone now. It hurts.”
China’s Massive Evacuation Effort
Chinese authorities evacuated more than 2 million people across Guangdong province ahead of Ragasa’s arrival. The storm made landfall on Hailing Island near Yangjiang around 5 p.m. local time with sustained winds of about 144 kilometers per hour (90 mph).
China’s marine authority issued its highest “red” wave warning, forecasting storm surges up to 2.8 meters (9 feet) in parts of Guangdong. The typhoon was tracking toward Maoming, one of China’s largest oil refining centers.
Emergency teams deployed more than 38,000 firefighters, and the government allocated $21 million for disaster relief across southern provinces.
Climate Change Connection
Experts warn that more powerful typhoons are likely to hit southern China as climate change advances. Benjamin Horton, dean of the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong, noted that “the weather experienced in Hong Kong this summer is only a taste of what is to come.”
Shun Chi-ming, former director of the Hong Kong Observatory, explained that typhoons in the Western Pacific have grown in intensity due to higher sea and atmospheric temperatures, resulting in heavier rainfall when they make landfall.
Regional Resilience
Despite the destruction, the Pearl River Delta region has improved its preparedness since previous major storms like Hato and Mangkhut in 2017 and 2018, according to Chim Lee, a specialist at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
“The Pearl River Delta is one of the best-prepared regions for typhoons,” Lee noted, though the financial impact was still significant. The Zijin Gold International company delayed its $3.2 billion IPO in Hong Kong due to the storm.
After moving through China, Ragasa is expected to continue westward toward Vietnam and Laos later this week, gradually weakening as it travels inland
