Seventeen people have been killed and 17 more are missing in eastern Taiwan, according to authorities, after a barrier lake burst its banks amid heavy rains brought on by Super Typhoon Ragasa, which has also lashed Hong Kong with fierce winds and waves.
Most of the dead were elderly people who were unable to escape the rising floodwaters from Matai’an Creek Barrier Lake in Guangfu Township, Hualien County, the Hualien County Fire Department said on Wednesday.
(Al Jazeera)
Thirty-four people were injured, with rescue operations for the missing under way, the fire department said.
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Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA) reported that the lake, which was formed by debris dislodged by previous rains, overflowed on Tuesday morning, followed by a much larger surge in floodwaters at about 4:30pm local time (08:30 GMT).
Video footage shared by Taiwanese media showed fast-moving waters surging through Guangfu Township, dragging vehicles and destroying a bridge.
The CNA reported that many people took shelter on their roofs until floodwaters receded, leaving mud and debris in their wake.
Reporter Tiffany Wong from TaiwanPlus News told Al Jazeera that the dam on Taiwan’s east coast breached, “bringing floodwaters up to two storeys at its peak”.
“It’s on Taiwan’s east coast where we’re seeing the most destruction,” Wong explained.
“People’s homes were flooded, especially since, they said [authorities] found a lot of elderly people dead in their homes, unable to get to higher ground. So now, today, all efforts are turning to recovery,” Wong said.
Part of the bridge over Matai’an Creek lies destroyed after a barrier lake burst in Hualien County on September 24, 2025 [CNA/AFP]
Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington, reporting from Hong Kong, said that as the typhoon moves away from the territory, residents have experienced a day of “wild weather”.
“Just a short while ago, the Hong Kong Observatory reduced the alert level from the top level 10 to now level eight, but as it has reduced that alert level, it has also urged the public to continue to be vigilant because it does anticipate those heavy rainfalls will continue, further storms as well and heavy winds,” Washington said.
“[But there is] certainly a sense that the worst is over here in Hong Kong,” she added.
However, as the weather lets up in Hong Kong, in mainland China, the worst is yet to come.
According to China’s National Meteorological Centre, Typhoon Ragasa has made landfall in the southern Guangdong province.
Reporting from Beijing, Al Jazeera’s Christina Yu explained that preparations are continuing for the incoming typhoon.
“According to state media, 1.89 million people have already been evacuated. That is, people living in flood-prone areas, people living in what are considered to be quite weak structures … anyone who lives in apartments above the 10th storey has also been evacuated,” Yu said.
“Authorities [are] being very cautious in the face of extreme winds,” she added.
Super Typhoon Ragasa, earlier this week, swept Taiwan and its outlying islands with heavy winds and rain as it moved south.
Some parts of Hualien County on Taiwan’s rugged east coast received upwards of 700mm of rainfall, while towns in the south and east were hit by 500-600mm of rain, according to the CNA.
Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te said in a Facebook post late on Tuesday that all government ministries and the military had been mobilised to help with the emergency response and disaster cleanup.
“Everyone must remain vigilant. All frontline disaster response personnel are urged to put their own safety first while carrying out their duties,” Lai said.
As of Wednesday morning, more than 160 flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport were cancelled, while rail lines and ferry services were suspended in some areas.
The majority of cancelled flights were short-haul hops to or from Hong Kong and Macau, which began shutting down on Tuesday in anticipation of the typhoon.
A taxi drives through a flooded area in Heng Fa Chuen, Hong Kong, on September 24, 2025 [Leung Man Hei/AFP]
Earlier, Hong Kong’s weather authorities issued their highest typhoon warning of “T10” on Wednesday and warned of possible landslides as the storm passed 150km (93 miles) southwest of the Chinese territory.
Ragasa whipped waves higher than lampposts onto Hong Kong promenades and halted life on the southern Chinese coast.
The Hong Kong Observatory reported maximum “sustained” winds of 112-153 km/h (70-95 mph) and maximum gusts exceeding 184 km/h (114 mph) on Wednesday morning, but said the storm was departing as of 11am local time (03:00 GMT).
The HKO said that typhoon warnings would remain in place as the effects of the storm were still being felt.
“Members of the public should be on high alert and beware of destructive winds. Local weather will be persistently adverse today, with frequent heavy squally showers and thunderstorms,” the observatory said.
“Seas will be phenomenal with swells.”
Hong Kong Free Press reported that more than 700 flights would be grounded due to the typhoon.