Super Typhoon Ragasa pounds Taiwan, Hong Kong as it makes landfall in Guangdong; at least 14 dead, hundreds injured

Super Typhoon Ragasa intensified into 2025’s strongest storm, with peak sustained winds of 270 km/h, as it battered Taiwan, Hong Kong and southern China. The cyclone killed at least 14 people in Taiwan and injured more than 100 across the island and in Hong Kong before making landfall in Guangdong province along the coast near Hailing Island, close to Yangjiang, around 5 p.m. local time. Chinese meteorologists warned of life-threatening storm surges and widespread damage as Ragasa moved inland, prompting mass evacuations and widespread disruption across the region. The storm’s approach forced cities to suspend transportation, close schools and shutter businesses as authorities prepared for the unfolding rescue and relief effort.

In Hong Kong, dramatic footage captured the moment murky seawater crashed through the glass doors of the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel in the Aberdeen district, sweeping guests and staff into the lobby as employees clung to walls for safety. A guest was seen being knocked off his feet while a panda-themed display toppled, and fellow guests rushed to assist him as the water surged through the lobby. The hotel later said the safety of guests and staff remained the priority. Elsewhere, authorities described flying debris and gusts ripping advertisements from buildings as Ragasa’s outer bands moved through the city.

Across Taiwan, authorities confirmed 14 deaths and more than 100 injuries from Ragasa, with a decades-old barrier lake bursting in Hualien county contributing to the toll. Officials initially said 152 people were unaccounted for, but later said they had made contact with more than 100 and were still working to verify the final missing count. Coastal communities faced widespread flooding as shelters opened and residents sought higher ground amid the surge.

Across southern China, authorities ordered closures of businesses and schools in at least 10 cities as Ragasa approached the coast. The storm made landfall on the coast near Yangjiang on Hailing Island, with winds of 145 km/h, toppling trees, downing fences and flooding streets. Rail travel was suspended in Guangdong, and Yangjiang’s normally busy train station stood largely empty for hours. State media reported widespread evacuations: Guangdong authorities counted more than 7,600 evacuees, and later officials said roughly 2.2 million people had been relocated across the province. The mainland also faced heavy rainfall and flooding in multiple cities as the storm moved inland. Macau suspended power to some low-lying areas as a precaution.

In Hong Kong, authorities reported about 90 people treated in public hospitals for injuries and more than 860 residents sought shelter at roughly 50 temporary facilities. The city’s skyline and seafront areas endured heavy winds and flooding, with Heng Fa Chuen among the residential districts inundated by seawater. IT administrator Paul Yendle, speaking near a damaged restaurant in Tseung Kwan O, said, “It’s like the end of the world … I never expected to see it as bad as this.” The Airport Authority warned of flight disruptions, with only a limited number of cargo flights anticipated as passenger services were canceled. In Chai Wan, a five-year-old boy and his mother fell into the sea while watching the waves; both were hospitalized, with the mother listed in critical condition Wednesday morning.

Beyond Hong Kong, the Chinese finance hub of Macau reported widespread flooding and power outages in low-lying districts as crews worked to restore essential services. Earlier in the week, Ragasa trampled parts of the northern Philippines and caused fatalities, including several fishermen. Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful as global temperatures rise, underscoring the link between climate change and intensifying tropical cyclones across the western Pacific, according to AFP.

Relief and rescue operations continued as Ragasa moved inland and weakened. Fire and rescue services in Guangdong released footage showing flooded streets, toppled trees and damaged infrastructure, while authorities pledged swift relief funding and resources to affected communities. Chinese authorities allocated the equivalent of roughly 340 million yuan to support rescue and relief efforts in the regions hit by Ragasa, according to Xinhua. The storm’s reach and ferocity have prompted a coordinated regional response as authorities seek to mitigate damage and aid thousands displaced or otherwise affected by the disaster.

[Additional imagery provided by local outlets shows the scale of the flooding and structural damage caused by Ragasa, including water surges through built environments and the aftermath in urban areas across Hong Kong and Guangdong.]