As of 24 September 2025, officials reported at least 14 people killed in Taiwan and 124 missing after torrential rains burst a barrier lake in Hualien County, sending a wall of water into Guangfu township.
Super Typhoon Ragasa, described as the most powerful tropical cyclone of the year, made landfall in southern China on Wednesday between Yangjiang and Zhanjiang, after bringing Hong Kong and Macau to a standstill and leaving deadly destruction in Taiwan and the Philippines. Authorities in Guangdong suspended schools, factories, and transit across about a dozen cities as the storm pushed ashore with maximum sustained winds of 200 km/h and gusts up to 250 km/h, according to the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
World’s Strongest Storm of 2025
As of 24 September 2025, officials reported at least 14 people killed in Taiwan and 124 missing after torrential rains burst a barrier lake in Hualien County, sending a wall of water into Guangfu township. Separate figures later noted 15 deaths in Taiwan and 17 people missing after an overflow in the same area, while Taiwan’s premier Cho Jung-taicalled for an inquiry into evacuation orders and said the immediate priority was to find the 129 still missing. Ragasa’s outer bands had drenched the island since Monday, with residents in Guangfu complaining of insufficient warning.
In the northern Philippines, at least three people were killed and thousands displaced in floods and landslides. In Benguet, a 74-year-old man died after being trapped in a vehicle buried by mud and rocks; two others died in Calayantown, Cagayan province, where the storm first made landfall. The disaster agency reported more than 17,500 peopleforced from their homes, five missing, and widespread suspensions of schools, government offices, and transportacross 29 provinces.
China evacuated 1.9 million people in Guangdong province ahead of landfall; more than 2 million people were ultimately moved to safety, according to local and state media. The Ministry for Emergencies dispatched tens of thousands of tents, folding beds, lighting equipment, and other supplies. Businesses in coastal cities parked large rented trucks in front of storefronts to shield against flying debris and storm surge.
Waves Over Promenades, Flights Grounded
In Hong Kong, authorities shut schools and public offices Tuesday and Wednesday amid warnings that hurricane-force winds and storm surges could rival Super Typhoon Mangkhut (2018). The Hong Kong Observatory said weather would “deteriorate rapidly” with gale to storm-force winds and high swells through Wednesday, later announcing the city would lower its typhoon signal to three from eight after 12:20 p.m. GMT (1:20 p.m. BST).
Air travel was heavily disrupted: around 700 flights cancelled, ferries halted, and key highways shut. Analysis of Flightradar24 data showed 86 regional departures grounded and more than 30 long-haul axed, including two overnight flights to London Heathrow on Cathay Pacific and one on British Airways. More than 100 flight departures were cancelled in just 10 hours from 2 p.m. to midnight Tuesday, affecting an estimated 20,000 passengers. The Hospital Authority reported at least 90 injuries, while the government opened 50 temporary shelters that hosted 885 people.
Next door in Macau, casinos closed gambling areas as the typhoon skirted about 100 km to Hong Kong’s south. Videos on Xiaohongshu showed doors being sealed at a resort to guard against gales and debris.
A Storm Fueled by Warm Seas
Ragasa formed over the western Pacific last week and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 super typhoon on Monday, with winds exceeding 260 km/h (162 mph), fueled by warm seas and favorable atmospheric conditions. While it has since weakened slightly, the system still toppled trees, downed power lines, and flooded streets across multiple territories as it advanced west.
Ahead of the worst winds and rain on Wednesday, about 80% of aircraft from Hong Kong’s four main airlines were relocated or grounded at airports across Japan, China, Cambodia, Europe, Australia, and other locations. Authorities warned that water levels could mirror those during Mangkhut, when direct economic losses in the city were estimated at HK$4.6 billion (US$592 million). Along Hong Kong’s eastern and southern shoreline, waves overtopped promenades, with seawater rushing along pavements and submerging some roads and homes.
In Guangdong, evacuations were paired with large-scale relief logistics. In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. placed the disaster response agency on full alert and mobilized all government agencies after the storm swept through the north. In Taiwan, the fire department detailed the overflow impacts in Hualien, and the premier demanded answers on evacuation protocols even as fresh warnings unsettled residents.
Climate Context: “A Stark Reminder”
The storm’s ferocity, affecting millions from Luzon to the Pearl River Delta, was cited as a stark reminder of escalating climate risks, with experts warning that storms of this scale are becoming more frequent and intense. Seas turned rough along China’s southern coast, while Hong Kong reported sustained winds near 195 km/h close to the storm’s center—cyclones with 185 km/h sustained winds or stronger are categorized locally as super typhoons to elevate public vigilance.
Forecasters said Ragasa would maintain super-storm strength through Wednesday before weakening slightly over southern China. With two million evacuees in Guangdong, dozens of cities shuttered, and rescue supplies staged, the immediate focus is on search and rescue in Taiwan, clearing landslides in the Philippines, and restoring services across the Greater Bay Area. As regional authorities tally damage—from grounded flights to inundated towns—the question now shifts to recovery speed and readiness for the next storm.
Lead image courtesy of AP (A fallen tree sits inside the park in Ho Man Tin area, as super typhoon Ragasa approaches in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025)
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