Super typhoon Ragasa leaves 14 dead in Taiwan, mainland China braces

Super Typhoon Ragasa, said to be the strongest storm of 2025, has claimed at least 14 lives in eastern Taiwan, with Sky News reporting at least 152 people missing, while Reuters puts the figure at around 129. Fatalities were also reported in the Philippines, according to Sky News.

The fatalities in Taiwan were concentrated in Hualien County, a popular tourist destination. The town of Guangfu in Hualien was reportedly engulfed by floodwaters after a barrier lake burst its banks on Sept. 23. According to Taiwan’s authorities, cited by media outlets, about 60 million tons of water were released.

Reuters reported that after striking Taiwan, the storm lashed Hong Kong with waves. Hong Kong lowered its typhoon signal from 10 to 8 on Sept. 24, keeping the city in a locked-down mode.

Citing Chinese media, the agency also said that more than 770,000 people had been evacuated across Guangdong Province, which is bracing for impact. According to the hospital authority, the typhoon injured at least 50 people, and the government opened 50 temporary shelters where 791 people sought refuge in Honk Kong.