Weakened Ragasa lashes southern China, toll rises in Taiwan, Philippines

A weakened tropical storm Ragasa pressed westward along China’s southern coast on Thursday, barreling toward Vietnam after unleashing flooding across China's Guangdong province and claiming at least 14 lives in Taiwan and the Philippines in two days. Additionally, 33 people are officially missing in these two countries.

In Yangjiang, located within Guangdong, over 10,000 trees were damaged and branches floated through water‑logged roads. Crews used excavators to clear fallen trees and reopen blocked streets.

Nearly half a million households experienced power cuts, with over a third still without electricity on Thursday morning.

In Zhuhai, streets transformed into rivers as floodwaters inundated low‑lying neighbourhoods. Rescuers employed inflatable boats to evacuate stranded residents from submerged homes. Communication lines with inhabitants of certain islands in the Jiangmen area were severed.

To the west, in Guangxi, schools and businesses were shut, and tourism was suspended in affected cities. Authorities had already relocated more than two million people across Guangdong ahead of Ragasa’s arrival.

The storm reached super‑typhoon strength earlier in the week, with sustained winds peaking at 265  kmph — making it the most powerful cyclone of the year globally. By Thursday morning, Ragasa’s winds had lessened to 65  kmph, though heavy rains were forecast to persist over Vietnam and adjacent southeast Asian regions.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chính ordered ministries and local governments to fortify infrastructure such as dams and hospitals, secure coastal assets and fishing vessels, and prepare evacuation and search‑and‑rescue efforts. Several flights were cancelled or rescheduled, and tree‑trimming operations were underway to reduce wind hazards.

In Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, life gradually began returning to normal. Hong Kong airport resumed flights after more than 1,000 were disrupted earlier in the storm, affecting approximately 140,000 passengers. Businesses reopened, though debris and fallen branches continued to litter streets after over 1,200 trees had been toppled. Around 100 injured people were treated in hospitals.

In Taiwan, authorities adjusted the death toll to 14 from 17 following record reviews. Most fatalities occurred in eastern Hualien County when a barrier lake overflowed, flooding Guangfu township. Mudslides and torrents washed away bridges and roads, carrying vehicles and furniture downstream. Several residents remain missing or out of contact.

In the Philippines, Ragasa left at least 11 dead, including seven fishermen who drowned when their boat capsized in Cagayan province. Two others are still reported missing. Meanwhile, another tropical storm — named Opong locally and Bualoi internationally — is strengthening in the Pacific and is predicted to hit east–central Philippines on Friday, with sustained winds currently up to 110  kmph.

The full impact of Ragasa continues to unfold as nations brace for further flooding, infrastructure damage, and humanitarian needs in its wake.

With agency inputs