In brief
Typhoon Ragasa has struck southern China after causing catastrophic damage in Taiwan, where heavy flooding from a dam burst has resulted in 17 fatalities. The typhoon, initially classified as a super typhoon, brought strong winds of up to 241 km/h (150 mph) and forced nearly two million people in China to evacuate. In Taiwan, Premier Cho Jung-Tai has called for an inquiry into the evacuation failures, as communities grapple with the aftermath of the storm's onslaught.
Typhoon Ragasa has made landfall in southern China, where nearly two million people have been evacuated in preparation for its arrival.
It comes after authorities said at least 17 people had been killed and more missing in Taiwan after a lake burst due to severe flooding in the island's east.
Ragasa was downgraded from a super to a severe typhoon but remains highly destructive, with top winds of 241km/h (150mph) recorded in Taishan county in China's south-eastern Guangdong province.
The equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane, Ragasa is noted as the world's strongest storm this year and has been navigating over the South China Sea.
Ahead of making landfall, 90 people were injured in Hong Kong, where the storm skimmed the coastline.
The typhoon hit the Guangdong coast near Hailing Island at around 17:00 local time. Its winds were reported to have sustained speeds of 144km/h.
In Guangdong, the southern cities of Zhuhai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou are on high alert for saline water intrusion. Local authorities issued red alerts for landslides in the mountainous regions of the province.
While emergency services are managing the situation in China, Taiwan is still reeling from the disaster caused by Ragasa. Premier Cho Jung-Tai demanded an inquiry into evacuation procedures after the tragic loss of life linked to the barrier lake burst in Hualien county.
In response to the chaos, the government is dispatching troops and has established a disaster response center in Hualien, working urgently to assist residents and account for missing individuals.
Many places are grappling with innumerable damages from severe flooding, destruction of critical infrastructure, and psychological trauma inflicted by the typhoon.
Typhoon Ragasa has also affected Hong Kong and the Philippines, where the storm caused significant disruptions earlier in the week, resulting in casualties and widespread flooding.
