This post examines the impact and ongoing risks from Typhoon Ragasa, which struck southern China on September 24, 2025.
I summarize the storm’s landfall near Guangdong as a powerful Category 5-equivalent system, review the human and infrastructural toll across Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong, and outline the forecasted track into mainland Southeast Asia with the attendant hazards of flooding, landslides and storm surge.
Overview of Ragasa’s landfall and immediate effects
Typhoon Ragasa made landfall near Guangdong Province with sustained winds of 165 mph, the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane, bringing destructive wind, torrential rainfall and dangerous seas to coastal southern China on September 24, 2025.
Although meteorological models indicate the storm will weaken inland, the combination of storm surge, heavy rain and rapidly changing terrain creates lingering hazards.
Casualties, infrastructure damage and eye‑witness accounts
Before reaching the Chinese mainland, Ragasa caused at least 17 fatalities in Taiwan, where reports indicate a catastrophic lake burst was responsible for 14 deaths.
In Hong Kong, dramatic video captured storm surge breaching the doors of Bistro La Baia, a waterfront restaurant owned by Canadian expatriates Anna and Mark Cholewka; the owners reported that protective shutters that had withstood prior storms were overwhelmed this time, and much of the restaurant was destroyed.
Across Guangdong, images show residents clearing debris and removing fallen iron gates.
Rescue teams in Macau worked alongside local authorities to assist people affected by high winds and flooding.
These scenes are consistent with severe typhoon impacts: collapsed structures, inundated low-lying areas, and disrupted transportation and utilities.
Forecast track and evolving hazards
Authorities expect Ragasa to weaken as it moves inland, but that weakening does not eliminate risk: heavy rain and unstable slopes can generate severe secondary impacts far from the coastline.
Forecast guidance indicates the system will track into northern Vietnam and Laos, downgrading to a tropical depression and then a remnant low.
Flooding, landslides and regional implications
Even as Ragasa loses tropical strength, the main hazards shift from destructive winds to prolonged rainfall, flooding and slope failure.
Officials have emphasized that flooding, landslides and mudslides remain major threats along the storm’s path, particularly in mountainous or deforested areas where soil saturation quickly undermines stability.
Rivers and reservoirs can rise suddenly; communities downstream and in valleys should be prepared for rapid-onset flooding.
From an emergency preparedness perspective, the priorities are clear: maintain situational awareness from local authorities, avoid travel through flooded roadways, and heed evacuation orders where issued.
Community-level actions — moving to higher ground, securing loose debris, and checking on vulnerable neighbors — are essential to limit additional loss.
What this means going forward
Typhoon Ragasa is a stark reminder that even storms that weaken after landfall continue to pose complex, multi-hazard threats over wide areas.
Coastal surge events can be sudden and violent, as footage from Hong Kong shows.
Inland rainfall-driven events often have delayed but deadly consequences.
Tracking the storm’s remnants into northern Vietnam and Laos will be critical for anticipating secondary disasters.
As recovery begins in the hardest-hit areas, coordinated search-and-rescue and rapid debris clearance will be priorities.
Assessments of slope stability will also be important.
For residents and responders, the best immediate actions are to follow official guidance and prioritize safety over property.
It is important to prepare for continued flooding and landslide risk as Ragasa’s rainfall footprint moves inland.
Here is the source article for this story: Watch: Typhoon Ragasa’s storm surge destroys Hong Kong restaurant