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

Typhoon Ragasa has made a significant impact on the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and southern China, leading to widespread flooding and destruction. The storm has been classified as one of the strongest typhoons in Asian history. Over the course of the storm, 17 people have been reported missing and 32 others injured in Taiwan, particularly in Hualien County, where a barrier lake burst, causing severe flooding.

In the northern Philippines, the storm made landfall on Monday, resulting in at least 10 fatalities and affecting around 700,000 individuals, with 25,000 taking refuge in evacuation centers. In Hong Kong, injury reports exceeded 90, and flooding damaged infrastructure throughout the city, including restaurants and hotels. In Guangdong, China, over 2 million people were evacuated, with winds reaching 144 kph as the typhoon made landfall on Hailing Island. Flooding also impacted Macao, where streets turned into rivers.

Authorities reported significant travel disruptions, with Hong Kong International Airport canceling over 600 flights. Cleanup operations are underway across the affected regions as officials assess the ongoing damages. Experts have linked the typhoon’s strength to climate change, suggesting that higher temperatures are intensifying typhoons in the Western Pacific. The storm is expected to continue west towards Vietnam and Laos, prompting further monitoring and rescue efforts.