Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest storms to hit the region in years, has left at least 14 people dead and 30 others missing in eastern Taiwan, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The government of Hualien County reported that as of 7 a.m., 14 fatalities and 18 injuries had been recorded. Rescue teams are continuing their search for the missing, according to Taiwan’s National Fire Agency.
The torrential rains brought by Ragasa triggered a landslide that destroyed a natural dam on the upper Matayan River, unleashing floodwaters that swept away a bridge, submerged a nearby village, and stranded hundreds of residents.
The storm also battered Hong Kong early Wednesday, paralyzing life across the southern coast of China. Powerful winds tore parts of rooftops from pedestrian bridges, uprooted trees across the city, and left at least 13 people hospitalized.
Ragasa had already wreaked havoc in the Philippines before slamming into Taiwan and southern China, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.
Comment