Typhoon Ragasa made landfall Saturday in Yangjiang, a coastal city in Guangdong province. This latest bit of news comes from China’s National Meteorological Centre. Typhoon Lionrock has maximum sustained winds at its center of 195 kilometers per hour (120 miles per hour). This remarkable intensity sets it up to be the world’s most intense tropical cyclone of 2023.
The compact storm produced death and destruction across Taiwan before directly hitting mainland China. Local news reports are now citing 15 dead from Typhoon Ragasa in neighboring Hualien County. Further, 17 people are unaccounted for after a barrier lake eroded and released a deluge of water into the village of Kolancham, sweeping away homes.
Liu Shyh-fang, Taiwan’s interior minister, told a government briefing that the rescue efforts were vital and time-sensitive.
“Seventeen people remain missing after the Mataian Creek barrier lake burst. We must … seize the time for rescue,” – Liu Shyh-fang
As Typhoon Ragasa neared Hong Kong, it passed about 100 km (62 miles) to the south of the territory. According to the Hong Kong observatory, the storm has already been officially classified as a super typhoon. It features continuous winds that exceed 185 km/h, or 115 mph. Satellite imagery shows the storm hurling tremendous swells across Hong Kong’s eastern and southern coastlines. This disarray raised fears of disastrous flooding in the impacted cities.
In short, authorities considered the Typhoon Ragasa threat extreme. They evacuated more than 2 million residents in Guangdong province to protect lives. For the first time this year, China’s state marine authority has issued its highest red wave warning. This alert indicates a high risk of flash flooding, particularly in low-lying coastal cities such as Shenzhen.
According to early reports from hospitals, more than 80 people were injured by the storm. Most of them required medical attention as a direct outcome.
People living in cities hit by the typhoon showed a mix of responses against the shocking reality brought by the devastating weather. One returning local resident, Tim, reflected on his experience saying,
“The typhoon was really intense, but I’ve not been out long.”
City resident Liang explained how his wife and four children were able to stay safe when the storm hit.
“We live on an upper floor and saw there wasn’t too much danger, so I brought the kids out to experience this heavy rain and wind,” – Liang
Soon after Typhoon Ragasa made landfall, the Mataian Creek barrier lake’s water level dropped suddenly by 75%! This report was transmitted by the Central News Agency, a semi-official Taiwanese news agency. While this reduction will reduce risk from immediate flooding impacts, it is a stark reminder of the continued threats that exist from the storm’s aftereffects.
Officials are evaluating damage and coordinating response and recovery efforts among impacted states as they closely monitor the situation moving forward. The overall damage from Typhoon Ragasa is still being assessed as search and rescue operations continue.