Super Typhoon Ragasa leaves several dead in Taiwan

Taipei: A lake burst caused by Super Typhoon Ragasa killed at least 14 people and left 152 others missing in eastern Taiwan, officials said on Wednesday.

Taiwan has been hit hard by Ragasa, one of the strongest storms in years, which has already caused deaths in the Philippines and is lashing Hong Kong.

The lake in Hualien County overflowed on Tuesday, sending torrents of mud and water through Guangfu township, which inundated villages and swept away a major bridge.

The village chief, Wang Tse-an, told the Reuters news agency that many people in the township were still stranded.

"There is mud and rocks everywhere. Some flooding has subsided, but some remains," Wang said.

The military deployed over 300 troops to assist rescue efforts, and over 7,000 people were evacuated away from the coast.

The typhoon brought about 70 centimetres (28 inches) of rain to Taiwan's east, while sparing the more populous west coast.
Storm hits Hong Kong

The storm struck Hong Kong early on Wednesday with winds of up to 195 kph (120 mph), toppling trees, flooding coastal neighborhoods and forcing people to seek refuge in temporary shelters.

Authorities reported at least 13 injuries and suspended flights, schools and train services.

The storm also caused infrastructure damage as it ripped off the top of a pedestrian footbridge.

The Hong Kong Observatory warned of a "significant" storm surge with "two to three meters of rise in water level expected over the coast of Hong Kong."

Earlier, the observatory issued the highest level of typhoon warning overnight.

Flights were also grounded in nearby Macao, as well as in Japan, Australia, and mainland China.

Meanwhile, Ragasa forced the relocation of more than a million people in southern China's Guangdong province.

The storm made landfall in southern China on Wednesday, according to the national weather agency.

Chinese authorities have ordered businesses and schools to shut down in at least 10 cities across the south.

Ragasa has battered the region since Monday.

In the northern Philippines, three people have been killed, with thousands displaced by floods and landslides, officials said.