Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest such storms in years, whipped waves taller than lampposts onto Hong Kong promenades and turned the seas rough along the southern Chinese coast on Wednesday, after leaving deadly destruction in Taiwan and the Philippines. In Taiwan, 17 people died in a flooded township, while 10 deaths were reported in the northern Philippines, per the AP. Nearly 1.9 million people were relocated across China's Guangdong province. A weather station in the town of Chuandao recorded maximum gusts of about 150mph at noon, a high in Jiangmen city since recordkeeping began, while huge waves battered Zhuhai city's coastline.
State broadcaster CCTV said the typhoon made landfall along the coast of Hailing Island, in Yangjiang city, at about 5pm local time, packing maximum winds near the center of 89mph. The storm is forecast to keep moving west. Schools, factories, and transportation services were initially suspended in about a dozen cities, but a few of them distant from the landfall location were preparing to resume as winds weakened. The fierce winds brought by Ragasa, once a super typhoon, woke Hong Kong residents in the early hours, with many heading online to describe scenes like a kitchen ventilation fan being blown down and a crane swaying.
Strong winds blew away parts of a pedestrian bridge's roof and knocked down hundreds of trees across the city. A vessel crashed into the shore, shattering a row of glass railings along the waterfront. Areas around some rivers and promenades were flooded, including cycling lanes and playgrounds. At several promenade restaurants, furniture was scattered chaotically by the winds. More than 80 injured people were treated at hospitals.
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Hong Kong and Macao, a nearby casino hub, canceled schools and flights, with many shops closed. Hundreds of people sought refuge in temporary centers in each city. Streets in Macao turned into streams, with debris floating on the water and rescue crews deployed in inflatable boats to save those trapped. The gambling city's local electricity supplier suspended its power supply in some flooded, low-lying areas for safety. Hong Kong's observatory said Ragasa is the strongest tropical cyclone in the northwestern Pacific and South China Sea region so far this year. More here.
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