Typhoon Ragasa batters Hong Kong and southern China : NPR
Strong waves crash against the seafront in the Heng Fa Chuen region while the Super Typhon Ragasa is approaching in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
Chan long hei / ap
hide
tilting legend
Chan long hei / ap
Shenzhen, China – Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest for years, whipped the waves higher than the lampposts on the walks of Hong Kong and turned rough on the Chinese South Coast on Wednesday after leaving a deadly destruction in Taiwan and the Philippines.
In Taiwan, 14 people died in a flooded canton and 10 deaths were reported in the Philippines.
Nearly 1.9 million people were moved to Guangdong province, the Chinese economic power in the South. A weather station in the city of Chuandao has recorded maximum gusts of 241 km / h (around 150 MPH) at noon, a summit in the city of Jiangmen since the start of records. Huge waves beat the coast of the city of Zhuhai and strong winds stamped the trees in intense rain. The branches fallen were dispersed in the streets.
The National Weather Agency provided that the severe typhoon would reach the stop between the cities of Yangjiang and Zhanjiang on Wednesday evening. Schools, factories and transport services have been suspended in a dozen cities.
Strong waves crash against the seafront in the Heng Fa Chuen region while the Super Typhon Ragasa is approaching in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
Chan long hei / ap
hide
tilting legend
Chan long hei / ap
The ferocious winds, brought by Ragasa, formerly a super typhoon, woke up the residents of Hong Kong in the early hours, and many went online to describe scenes like a ventilation fan that takes place and a crane that was swinging.
Strong winds have blown parts of the roof of a pedestrian bridge and overthrow hundreds of trees across the city. A ship crashed on the shore, breaking a row of glass balustrades along the seafront. The areas around certain rivers and walks were flooded, including cycle paths and playgrounds. In several walking restaurants, the furniture was chaotically dispersed by the winds. More than 60 people injured were treated in hospitals.
A video that showed waves of water crashing through the doors of a hotel and flooding its interiors has become viral in the financial center. The hotel did not immediately comment on the incident. But the staff was seen cleaning the hall, with parts of their damaged exterior.
Hong Kong and Macao, a nearby casino center, canceled schools and flights, with many closed stores. Hundreds of people have sought refuge in temporary centers in each city. The streets of Macao have turned into streams with various debris floating on water. The rescue teams deployed inflatable boats to save those that have been trapped. The local Gambling City electricity supplier has suspended its power in certain flooded and low areas for safety.
While the winds gradually weakened in the afternoon, some cities far from the expected landing site was preparing to resume normal operations.
The Hong Kong Observatory said Ragasa had maximum sustained winds near the center of around 195 km / h (120 mPh) and contributed to around 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the financial center. The city classifies cyclones with sustained winds from 185 km / h or stronger such as super typhoons to make residents very vigilant on intense storms.
People walk in the rain and strong winds in Shenzhen in the province of Guangdong in southern China on Wednesday September 24, 2025, while Typhon Ragasa moves near the region.
Ng han guan / ap
hide
tilting legend
Ng han guan / ap
The Observatory said Ragasa is the strongest tropical cyclone in the North West Pacific and Southern China Sea this year. The preliminary analysis has shown that it is also classified as the strongest second in the Southern China Sea Region since the start of the observatory record in 1950, linking Saola typhoons in 2023 and Yagi in 2024, he said.
Ragasa earned death and damage to Taiwan and the Philippines earlier after the typhoon has taken a path between them.
In Taiwan, heavy rains caused the overflow of a barrier lake in the county of Hualien and muddy water torrents destroyed a bridge, transforming the roads of the canton of Guangfu into rivers which took vehicles and furniture. Guangfu has around 8,450 people, more than half of whom have sought higher floors of their homes or on higher land. Local authorities said 14 people had died and that contacts had been lost with 124 others in the canton. The Taiwan central news agency said the rescuers were driving to check these residents.
In addition, 34 people were injured through the Auto-Strict Island.
At least 10 deaths were reported in the Philippines, including seven fishermen who drowned after their boat was beaten by huge waves and a fierce wind and turned on Monday off the city of Santa Ana, in the north of the province of Cagayan. Five other fishermen remained missing, provincial officials said.
Nearly 700,000 people were affected by the assault in the main region of the Northern Philippines of Luzon, including 25,000 people who fled to government emergency shelters.
