Hong Kong: Super Typhoon Ragasa, the world’s strongest storm this year, unleashed destructive winds and torrential rain across Hong Kong, while Taiwan counted 15 dead after landslides and flash floods triggered by days of relentless downpours.
In eastern Taiwan’s Hualien county, a barrier lake overflowed, sending a wall of water through a nearby town, the fire department said. Heavy rains linked to Ragasa’s outer bands have pounded the island since Monday, inundating homes, triggering landslides, and cutting off communities.
Hong Kong issued its highest storm warning, Signal No. 10, as the typhoon approached within 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the city, packing winds up to 200 kph (124 mph). The Hong Kong Observatory warned that areas once considered sheltered could face phenomenal seas with dangerous swells.
Along the city’s eastern and southern coastlines, massive waves crashed over promenades and roads, flooding waterfront districts and swamping parts of Tseung Kwan O, a densely populated residential area built on reclaimed land.
Authorities urged residents to stay indoors, and more than 700 people sought refuge in 49 emergency shelters. Despite the shutdown of transport services and government offices, Hong Kong’s Stock Exchange remained open, following a policy change last year to continue trading during extreme weather events.
In neighboring Macau, the No. 10 signal also prompted casinos to close their gaming floors, with some hotels sealing their doors to protect against flooding. Guests were ordered to remain indoors as the storm raged.
Mainland China has mounted a massive emergency response, particularly in Guangdong province, where Ragasa is expected to make landfall from midday Wednesday. More than 770,000 people have been evacuated, schools and transportation services have been suspended, and hundreds of flights have been cancelled in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, two of the busiest airports in the country.
China’s marine authorities issued their highest ‘red’ alert for storm surges, forecasting waves up to 2.8 metres (nine feet). Major cities in the typhoon’s path, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Dongguan, together house around 50 million people. Tens of thousands of tents, folding beds, and rescue supplies have already been dispatched, state media reported.
Authorities in Hong Kong have warned that sea levels could reach those seen during Typhoon Hato in 2017 and Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, both of which caused billions in damage.
With Ragasa expected to maintain its super typhoon strength as it sweeps along the South China coast, the storm is shaping up to be one of the most dangerous to hit the region in recent years.
