Typhoon Ragasa: How ‘King of Storms’ has unleashed its fury in Hong Kong, Taiwan & China

Strong winds, heavy rain and high seas lashed Hong Kong and Taiwan as Super Typhoon Ragasa made landfall in southern China.

Chinese weather experts have called it the ‘King of Storms’. Notably, it made landfall in Yangjiang city in Guangdong province, according to the country’s national meteorological centre.

Described by forecasters as the most powerful storm on the planet this year, Ragasa also triggered a lake burst in Taiwan that left at least 14 people dead.

Before this, Ragasa had already hit the northern Philippines , bringing down trees, tearing roofs from buildings and killing four people.

Shocking visuals from Hong Kong showed powerful winds ripping off parts of a pedestrian bridge roof and knocking over hundreds of trees across the city.

In this explainer, we look at some of the scenes from the regions affected by Ragasa and also find out why it is considered the strongest storm of the year.

Let’s take a look:

Super Typhoon Ragasa in Hong Kong

The storm sent waves taller than lampposts crashing onto Hong Kong promenades, waking residents in the early hours.

Many described the scenes online of a kitchen ventilation fan being blown away and a crane swaying in the wind.

Strong winds tore parts of a pedestrian bridge’s roof and felled hundreds of trees across the city.

Some vessels were pushed ashore, breaking a row of glass railings along the waterfront.

Flooding affected areas near rivers and promenades, including cycling lanes and playgrounds.

At a promenade restaurant, the wind scattered furniture across the site. Hospitals treated over 30 people for injuries.

A video showing waves pouring through the doors of a hotel, flooding its interior, went viral. The hotel has not commented, but staff were seen clearing the lobby and repairing damage to its exterior.

The severe winds led Hong Kong and the nearby casino hub Macau to issue their highest hurricane warning signal. Schools, businesses and public transport were largely closed.

More than 700 flights were cancelled as the world’s most powerful tropical cyclone this year hit one of the world’s busiest airports.

Rail operator MTR suspended train services on open sections, while limited service continued underground.

Typhoon Ragasa’s impact in Taiwan

In Taiwan, heavy rain caused a barrier lake in Hualien County to overflow, with muddy torrents destroying a bridge and turning roads in Guangfu township into rivers that swept away vehicles and furniture.

Guangfu, home to about 8,450 people, saw more than half the residents move to higher floors or higher ground for safety.

Local authorities said 14 people were killed, and there was no contact with 124 others. Rescuers were going door-to-door to check on residents, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

Across the island, 34 people were injured, and the National Fire Agency said at least 152 people were missing in Hualien and other areas.

In total, more than 7,600 people were evacuated in Taiwan due to Typhoon Ragasa.

Super Typhoon Ragasa in China

Nearly 1.9 million people were moved across Guangdong province, one of southern China’s key economic regions.

The world’s most powerful tropical cyclone this year struck the southern Chinese city of Yangjiang in Guangdong province.

Schools, factories and public transport were suspended in around a dozen cities.

In Shenzhen, authorities ordered the evacuation of 400,000 people.

By Wednesday morning, streets in Yangjiang, west of Hong Kong and near the expected landfall, were largely empty as winds strengthened.

Yangjiang’s normally busy train station was deserted, according to locals.

Xinhua reported that more than 38,000 firefighters were on standby.

Typhoon Ragasa’s impact in the Philippines and Macau

At least four people died in the Philippines, including an elderly man trapped by a rockslide.

Around 700,000 people in northern Luzon were affected, with 25,000 taking refuge in government emergency shelters.

In Macau, massive flooding led the local electricity company, CEM, to cut power to some low-lying areas.

Streets in the casino hub became rivers with debris floating in the water.

What is a super typhoon?

A super typhoon is an extremely powerful storm, similar to a Category 5 hurricane, with winds reaching 253 km/h (157 mph), according to BBC News.

Typhoons, including super typhoons, usually form in the Western Pacific near countries such as China, Japan and the Philippines.

Why is Super Typhoon Ragasa the strongest this year?

Called the “most powerful storm on Earth so far this year,” Ragasa is expected to cause damage worth billions of dollars.

Its strength comes not only from reaching super typhoon status but also from how quickly it intensified and where this happened.

The storm strengthened unusually fast near northern Luzon and surrounding islands, leaving little time for evacuations and preparation.

Peak winds reached around 165 mph, with even stronger gusts, and coastal areas were warned of storm surges over 3 metres in low-lying or exposed zones.

Scientists say storms in this region are becoming more severe as global temperatures rise, putting millions of people across Asia’s typhoon belt at greater risk.

With inputs from agencies