Strong waves crash against the waterfront in Heng Fa Chuen area as Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.
Super Typhoon Ragasa unleashed its full force on Hong Kong and southern China early Wednesday, sending towering waves onto promenades, toppling trees, and flooding coastal areas. The storm, one of the most powerful in recent years, left behind a deadly trail in Taiwan and the Philippines before striking the Chinese coast.
At least 14 people were confirmed dead in Taiwan and 10 more in the Philippines as the typhoon advanced westward.
Hong Kong Wakes to Chaos
Residents in Hong Kong were jolted awake as Typhoon Ragasa roared past the city. Many shared dramatic accounts online, describing cranes swaying dangerously and even kitchen ventilation fans torn from walls.
The typhoon’s winds ripped off sections of a pedestrian bridge roof, felled hundreds of trees, and sent a vessel crashing into the shore. Along the waterfront, shattered glass railings and flooded promenades painted a grim picture of the storm’s intensity.
Furniture from open-air restaurants was strewn across streets, and viral footage showed waves crashing into a hotel lobby, flooding the interior. Staff scrambled to clean up as parts of the hotel’s exterior sustained visible damage.
Hospitals treated more than 60 people for storm-related injuries, while schools and flights were suspended across Hong Kong and nearby Macao.
Macao Struggles With Rising Waters
In the casino hub of Macao, Typhoon Ragasa turned busy streets into rivers. Rescue teams deployed inflatable boats to save residents trapped by floodwaters. Debris floated through neighborhoods, and in some areas, power was cut off by the local electricity supplier to prevent hazards.
Temporary shelters were set up, offering refuge for hundreds. Many businesses, schools, and public services remained closed.
Mass Relocations in Southern China
Across Guangdong province, nearly 1.9 million residents were relocated ahead of Typhoon Ragasa’s landfall. China’s national weather agency warned the storm would hit between Yangjiang and Zhanjiang in the evening, with maximum sustained winds reaching 195 kilometers per hour (120 mph).
Authorities suspended factories, transport, and schools in at least a dozen cities, urging residents to prepare for the worst.
Meteorologists compared rising water levels to those seen during Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, which caused an estimated $592 million in economic damage to Hong Kong.
Taiwan Counts Heavy Losses
Before hitting China, Typhoon Ragasa devastated parts of Taiwan. Heavy rains caused a barrier lake in Hualien County to overflow, unleashing torrents of muddy water that destroyed a bridge and swept away vehicles and furniture.
In Guangfu township, home to just over 8,400 people, flooding forced more than half the population to seek safety on higher ground or the upper floors of their homes.
Authorities confirmed 14 deaths, with 34 others injured across the island. Contact was lost with at least 124 residents in Guangfu as rescue crews went door-to-door searching for survivors.
In this photo taken from Sept. 23, 2025 video and released by Dong Wen Transports, a drone shot shows the remaining piers of the Mataian Bridge after it collapsed during typhoon Super Typhoon Ragasa passing through Hualien in eastern Taiwan.
Philippines Hit by Deadly Storm Surge
The Philippines also bore the brunt of Typhoon Ragasa earlier in the week. In Cagayan province, seven fishermen drowned when strong waves overturned their boat, while five others remain missing.
In total, at least 10 people died across the country. Nearly 700,000 people were affected by the typhoon’s impact, with 25,000 forced to evacuate to emergency shelters in northern Luzon.
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves a Region Reeling
With maximum sustained winds near its center reaching super typhoon strength, Ragasa skirted 100 kilometers south of Hong Kong but still caused widespread destruction.
The storm highlighted the vulnerability of coastal cities in Asia, where millions face growing risks from extreme weather events.
As Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and the Philippines begin recovery efforts, southern China braces for the full impact of Typhoon Ragasa, a storm already etched into memory for its scale and destruction.
