Hong Kong/Shenzhen, China – Typhoon Ragasa, the world’s most powerful tropical cyclone this year, made landfall in the southern Chinese city of Yangjiang on Wednesday after killing 17 people in Taiwan and bringing Hong Kong to a halt with ferocious winds and torrential rains.
The storm, which reached Category 5 strength earlier this week, was tracking towards Maoming, home to one of China’s largest oil refining hubs in Guangdong province.
RELATED NEWS : Hong Kong Shuts Down as Super Typhoon Ragasa Nears with Winds of 220 km/h
In Taiwan, 17 people remain missing in Hualien county after a barrier lake overflowed during Ragasa’s downpour, sending a wall of water into a town. In Hong Kong, massive waves battered the coastline, flooding roads and properties, including the upscale Fullerton Hotel, where videos showed seawater surging through glass doors.
China’s marine authorities issued their highest red wave warning for the first time this year, forecasting storm surges up to 2.8 meters in parts of Guangdong, including the densely populated Pearl River Delta.
Ragasa, which formed over the Western Pacific last week, rapidly intensified to super typhoon strength with winds exceeding 260 kph (162 mph) before weakening slightly. Even so, the storm uprooted trees, knocked down power lines, and forced the evacuation of more than 2 million people across Guangdong province.
Authorities deployed tens of thousands of tents, folding beds, and emergency supplies, state media reported. Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Dongguan – cities home to nearly 50 million people – were directly in the storm’s path.
“The weather experienced in Hong Kong this summer is only a taste of what is to come,” warned Benjamin Horton, dean of the School of Energy and Environment at the City University of Hong Kong, citing climate change as a driver of more frequent and powerful typhoons.
In Hong Kong, officials confirmed at least 90 people were injured and nearly 900 residents sought refuge in temporary shelters. A woman and her five-year-old son were swept into the sea while watching the storm; both are in intensive care, according to local media.
Macau also felt the brunt of Ragasa, with casinos forced to shutter gambling areas and staff sealing doors against wind and debris.
Despite the damage, analysts said the Pearl River Delta is better prepared than in past years when storms like Hato (2017) and Mangkhut (2018) caused billions in damages. The Hong Kong stock exchange even stayed open through the storm, a sign of growing resilience.
Still, businesses were not spared: Zijin Gold International postponed its planned $3.2 billion Hong Kong IPO on Wednesday, citing the typhoon’s disruption.
With storm surge alerts expected to remain in place until Thursday, officials across southern China continued urging caution as Typhoon Ragasa moved inland, threatening widespread flooding.
SOURCE : AGENCIES | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |
