Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across Asia, Weakens Near Hong Kong
HONG KONG – Typhoon Ragasa brought parts of Asia to a grinding halt this week, sweeping through the northern Philippines and Taiwan before striking southern China. At least 14 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured as the powerful storm battered densely populated regions.
Ragasa made landfall in the Chinese city of Yangjiang on Wednesday, after lashing Taiwan and the Philippines. In Hong Kong, authorities raised the city’s highest warning signal – Typhoon Signal No. 10 – for much of Wednesday as fierce winds, heavy rains, and towering waves disrupted daily life.
By Thursday, the storm had weakened to a tropical storm as it moved away, but the Observatory kept Typhoon Signal No. 3 in force, keeping kindergartens and some schools closed.
On Wednesday, giant waves pounded Hong Kong’s eastern and southern coasts, while flash floods swamped roads and homes. Seawater even surged into the luxury Fullerton Hotel on the south side of Hong Kong Island, smashing glass doors and flooding the lobby. The hotel confirmed there were no injuries and that operations quickly returned to normal.
Travel chaos also began to ease. The Airport Authority announced that flights would gradually resume from 6 a.m. Thursday, with all three runways operational. Officials said more than 1,000 flights would be handled by the end of the day as the backlog was cleared.
Authorities were still dealing with the aftermath, rushing to repair collapsed roads, remove over 1,000 fallen trees, and respond to at least 85 flooding reports.
Before Ragasa’s arrival, residents had rushed to prepare. Officials distributed sandbags in low-lying neighborhoods while supermarkets saw shelves stripped bare, with prices of fresh vegetables surging as families stockpiled essentials.
The typhoon’s impact has been widely felt across the region, from deadly flooding in Taiwan to paralyzed transport in Hong Kong, leaving communities racing to recover as the storm finally weakens.
Mutib Khalid is a skilled content writer and digital marketer with a knack for crafting compelling narratives and optimizing digital strategies. Excel in creating engaging content that drives results and enhances online presence. Passionate about blending creativity with data-driven approaches, Mutib Khalid helps brands connect with their audience and achieve their goals.