Typhoon Ragasa cause minimum of fourteen deaths

(MENAFN) At least 14 people have lost their lives in Taiwan and more than 120 remain unaccounted for after Typhoon Ragasa unleashed devastating floods, according to reports on Wednesday.

Torrential rains on Tuesday caused the overflow of Matai’an Creek Barrier Lake, which sent powerful surges into Guangfu Township in Hualien County. Streets were submerged nearly a full story high, sweeping away vehicles and damaging infrastructure. Portions of the Matai’an River Bridge were also destroyed.

Rescue operations remain ongoing, with teams searching for 124 missing individuals and confirming 18 injuries. More than 3,000 residents were evacuated to safer ground from Guangfu, Fenglin, and Wanrong townships. Officials cautioned that the death toll is likely to increase as assessments continue and many remain missing.

The storm’s impact has extended beyond Taiwan. In the Philippines, authorities reported two additional deaths and six people missing, raising the storm-related death toll in the north of the country to three.

Meanwhile, China has undertaken massive precautionary measures. Over 1 million people in Guangdong province were moved to safety after the emergency response level was raised to its highest tier, according to state media. More than 80,000 fishing vessels were secured in ports, while nearly 12,300 offshore workers were brought to shore.

Ragasa, carrying winds of up to 55 meters per second (123 miles per hour), is expected to make landfall along Guangdong’s central or western coast. The storm is moving toward the densely populated Pearl River Delta region.

Authorities in multiple cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Dongguan, suspended schools, closed businesses and factories, and halted transport services. Zhuhai also imposed citywide traffic restrictions late Tuesday, barring non-essential vehicles and urging residents to remain indoors.

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