Typhoon Ragasa batters Hong Kong and southern China with intense rain and destructive winds

A woman clings to a traffic sign to maintain balance against strong winds from Super Typhoon Ragasa in Hong Kong. (Courtesy: Reuters photo)

Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest in years, whipped waves taller than lampposts onto Hong Kong promenades and halted life on the southern Chinese coast early Wednesday after leaving destruction in Taiwan and the Philippines.

Taiwan reported 14 deaths and the Philippines three after the typhoon took a path between them.

The fierce winds woke Hong Kong residents in the early hours, and many went online to describe scenes like a kitchen ventilation fan being blown down and a crane swaying.

Strong winds blew away parts of a pedestrian bridge’s roof and knocked down trees across the city. About 13 injured people were treated at hospitals.

More than a million people were relocated across Guangdong province, the southern Chinese economic powerhouse, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The national weather agency forecast the super typhoon would make landfall between the cities of Taishan and Zhanjiang between Wednesday afternoon and evening. Schools, factories and transit servicers were suspended in about a dozen cities.

Hong Kong and Macao, a nearby casino hub, canceled schools and flights, with many shops closed. Hundreds of people sought refuge in temporary centers in each city. One was injured in Macao.

Hong Kong’s observatory said Ragasa, with maximum sustained winds near the center of about 195 kph (120 mph), was skirting around 100 kilometers (62 miles) to the south of the financial hub. It was forecast to continuing moving west or west-northwest at about 22 kph (about 14 mph).

Ragasa earlier caused deaths and damage in Taiwan and the Philippines.

In Taiwan, heavy rain caused a barrier lake in Hualien County to overflow on Tuesday and torrents of muddy water destroyed a bridge, turning roads in Guangfu township into churning rivers that carried vehicles and furniture away. Local authorities said two people died and 30 others were missing in Hualien. One of the fatalities appeared to be from natural causes and the cause for the other death was unclear, they said.

In Taiwan, heavy rain caused a barrier lake in Hualien County to overflow Tuesday and torrents of muddy water destroyed a bridge, turning roads in Guangfu township into churning rivers that carried vehicles and furniture away. Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported that 14 people died and 18 others were injured there.

In the northern Philippines, Ragasa, Tagalog for scramble, left at least three people dead, five others missing and displaced more than 17,500 people in flooding and landslides, officials said Tuesday.