Deadly cyclone makes landfall in China after devastating Hong Kong, Taiwan and Philippines
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Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest tropical cyclone of the year, made landfall on Wednesday in Yangjiang, a city in China’s southern Guangdong province, according to the National Meteorological Centre.
The storm left a trail of destruction across the region before reaching mainland China. In Taiwan, at least 15 people were killed and 17 remain missing after a barrier lake in Hualien county overflowed, sending a torrent of water through a town. Residents criticised local authorities for failing to issue timely warnings in an island long accustomed to preparing for typhoons.
Hong Kong also faced Ragasa’s force, as waves crashed into the city’s eastern and southern shoreline. Roads and homes were flooded, with dramatic footage showing seawater breaking into the Fullerton Hotel on the island’s south. No injuries were reported, but the scenes highlighted the storm’s intensity.
While Hong Kong has since lowered its typhoon signal from 8 to 3, China’s southern coast remains on high alert, with authorities warning of widespread flooding, landslides, and power outages.
Ragasa’s arrival underscores the growing vulnerability of coastal Asia to increasingly severe tropical storms, with scientists warning climate change may be fuelling their intensity.
