A MONSTER super typhoon has smashed into Hong Kong with hurricane-force winds, washing people out to sea.
In Taiwan, meanwhile, a mountain lake burst its banks and unleashed torrents of water that swept away bridges, cars and homes.
Waves from Super Typhoon Ragasa crash onto chairs by the shore in Hong Kong, China
A man holds on to his umbrella against strong winds ahead of Super Typhoon Ragasa in Shenzhen in southern China’s Guangdong province
Onlookers gather whilst waves crash as Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches the Heng Fa Chuen residential district in Hong Kong
Super Typhoon Ragasa – dubbed the “King of Storms” – is the strongest storm of 2025 and could become the fiercest ever recorded in Hong Kong.
The Observatory hoisted the maximum T10 warning signal in the early hours of Wednesday, warning the city to brace for “persistently adverse” weather.
Winds howled at 137mph and towering waves pounded Hong Kong’s shores.
Police confirmed three people, including a child, were rescued from the sea after being swept off a promenade.
Authorities said storm surges could reach five metres – levels not seen since Typhoon Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018, which together caused billions in damage.
Deputy leader Eric Chan warned: “Ragasa will pose a serious threat to Hong Kong, which could reach the levels of Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018.”
Shelves stripped bare
Supermarkets across Hong Kong were stripped of bread, vegetables and meat as residents scrambled to hunker down.
Schools shut, racing was cancelled and more than 700 flights axed.
Cathay Pacific alone scrapped over 500 journeys, while Qantas said the airport would suspend flights for 36 hours.
Zoe Chan, who runs a clothes shop in Wanchai, said: “The most important thing is to take better precautions, so I can rest easier.”
Neighbouring Shenzhen ordered 400,000 people out of coastal zones, while Macau closed bridges and evacuated tourists.
Taiwan battered
In Taiwan, Ragasa’s outer bands dumped nearly 60cm of rain. A barrier lake in Hualien County burst, unleashing flash floods that engulfed Guangfu township.
“In some places, water temporarily rose as high as the second floor of a house,” said Lee Lung-sheng, deputy chief of Hualien County Fire Department.
At least two people died, 30 remain missing and 7,000 have been forced to flee their homes, according to authorities.
Rescuers battled to reach hundreds trapped on higher ground.
Hong Kong has been forced to upgrade its typhoon warning to eight – the third highest level – as Super Typhoon Ragasa strikes
A person walks on the shore while huge waves crash as Super Typhoon Ragasa peripheral brings in rain in the region, in Orchid Island, Taitung County, Taiwan
A huge wave crashes on a strucure as Super Typhoon Ragasa peripheral brings in rain in the region, in Orchid Island, Taitung County, Taiwan
Philippines death toll
Ragasa had .
Landslides and floods killed at least three, including a 74-year-old man crushed in his car by a mountainside collapse.
More than 17,500 people were displaced and power was cut to thousands as the storm barrelled through northern islands.
China braces for landfall
Now the storm is closing in on Guangdong province, home to tech hub Shenzhen and megacity Guangzhou.
in southern China.
Officials warned of a “catastrophic” situation as storm surges and floods loom.
Ragasa – which means “scramble” in Tagalog – has packed gusts of up to 177mph at its peak, making it a Category 5 monster on par with history’s most destructive typhoons.
Scientists say storms like Ragasa are growing fiercer as climate change heats the oceans – bringing heavier rains, higher storm surges and more devastating winds.
Vessels moored in a port to shelter from strong winds as super typhoon Ragasa approaches Jiangmen, Guangdong Province of China
People install wood panels on a restaurant to resist wind ahead of approaching Super Typhoon Ragasa on Hailing Island, China
A man stands near debris on a waterfront road due to weather patterns from Super Typhoon Ragasa in Aparri town, Philippines 
