Wed Sep 24 21:10:16 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest storm in the northwestern Pacific this year, wreaked havoc across southern China and Taiwan on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. The typhoon made landfall in Guangdong province, China, bringing fierce winds, torrential rain, and rough seas. It killed at least 14 people in Taiwan due to flooding and caused widespread damage to infrastructure. Millions of people were affected in China, with businesses and schools shut down and mass evacuations ordered. Hong Kong experienced significant flooding and damage, with hundreds seeking shelter. The storm also impacted Macau and the Philippines earlier in the week, causing fatalities and destruction. Scientists attribute the increasing intensity of such storms to climate change.

**News Article:**

**Typhoon Ragasa Batters Southern China and Taiwan, Leaving Trail of Destruction**

**Yangjiang, China – September 25, 2025:** Super Typhoon Ragasa slammed into southern China and Taiwan on Wednesday, bringing catastrophic winds, torrential rain, and widespread flooding. The storm, the strongest in the northwestern Pacific this year, has left at least 14 dead in Taiwan and caused mass evacuations and significant damage across Guangdong province in China.

Ragasa made landfall near Yangjiang city in Guangdong, packing winds of up to 145 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour). News agencies reported flying debris, ripped advertisements, and uprooted trees in the affected areas. Authorities in mainland China ordered the closure of businesses and schools in at least 10 cities, impacting tens of millions of residents. Nearly 2.2 million people in Guangdong were relocated ahead of the storm’s arrival.

Taiwan bore the brunt of Ragasa’s fury earlier in the week, where a burst barrier lake in Hualien county resulted in at least 14 fatalities. Authorities initially reported a higher death toll but revised the numbers after clarifying duplicate cases. Flooded streets and submerged cars were common sights. Over a thousand people spent the night in shelters as recovery efforts continue.

Hong Kong experienced widespread flooding, forcing the evacuation of over 860 people into temporary shelters. The city saw hundreds of fallen trees and numerous injuries. Dramatic footage circulated online showed storm surges breaching buildings and flooding residential areas.

Macau also suffered widespread flooding, leading to power suspensions in low-lying areas. The typhoon previously swept through the northern Philippines, resulting in at least eight deaths.

The frequency and intensity of storms like Ragasa are a growing concern, with scientists attributing the trend to the effects of human-driven climate change. The destruction serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of coastal regions to extreme weather events and the urgent need for climate action.

Chinese authorities have allocated the equivalent of $49.2 million to support rescue and relief efforts in the affected regions. Emergency services are working to restore essential services and assist those displaced by the storm.

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