Typhoon Ragasa has so far claimed the lives of at least 14 people in Taiwan and 7 in the Philippines, while triggering massive evacuations in southern China.
In Taiwan, the storm wrought serious damage, particularly in Hualien County, where overflow from a barrier lake near the town of Guangfu caused flash floods, Meduza reports. Officials confirmed 14 fatalities and over 30 injuries.
At one point, 124 people were reported missing when the barrier lake burst its banks; later the number of missing was revised downward to 33.
Locals in afflicted areas claimed they did not receive timely evacuation warnings. Authorities responded that flood-risk alerts had been issued earlier, especially concerning the dam’s vulnerability.
The typhoon also impacted Hong Kong and Macau. In Hong Kong, storm waves shattered windows at the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties among guests or staff.
In Macau, flooding occurred, though no deaths have been confirmed.
Across both territories—home to over 8 million people—schools and businesses were shuttered and public transit suspended during the storm’s passage, according to CNN.
The storm then swept toward mainland China, gravitating toward Guangdong, Hainan, and Guangxi, according to Euronews.
In Guangdong province alone, authorities evacuated approximately 1.89 million people ahead of the typhoon’s landfall. More than 10,000 vessels were directed to safe harbors.
Preparations in the region were extensive, with business closures, transport disruptions, and school shutdowns enacted preemptively.
Earlier, the typhoon made landfall in the Philippines, where at least seven people died, 13 were injured, and three remain missing. Over 25,000 residents were evacuated from vulnerable areas.
