Super Typhoon Ragasa: Taiwan lake burst leaves 14 dead, 18 injured, 30 missing

AFP

24 Sep, 2025 12:33 AMQuick Read

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Waves crash into the Heng Fa Chuen residential district as Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches near Hong Kong on September 23, 2025. Photo / Tommy Wang, AFP

The bursting of a barrier lake in Taiwan has killed at least 14 people, regional officials said after Super Typhoon Ragasa pounded the island with torrential rains.

“Fourteen people are confirmed dead and 18 were reported injured,” said Lee Kuan-ting, a Hualien County Government press official.

“Thirty missing was the
figure last night, released by the National Fire Agency, and our teams are still searching,” he added.

Taiwan has been lashed by the outside edge of Ragasa since Monday. The island recorded almost 60cm (24 inches) of rain in its east due to the typhoon, Reuters news agency reported, as it heads west towards Hong Kong and southern China.

Chinese authorities are warning of storm surges of up to five metres. Some 370,000 people have been evacuated so far in Guangdong, as authorities warn of a “catastrophic” situation.