The collapse of a barrier lake in Taiwan has resulted in at least 14 deaths and 124 people missing after Super Typhoon Ragasa brought heavy rains and widespread damage to parts of East Asia. The barrier lake, formed by landslides from earlier heavy rainfall in Taiwan’s east, burst its banks mid-afternoon on Tuesday, unleashing a wall of water into the Guangfu township. As of 7 am Wednesday, 14 people were confirmed dead, and 18 were injured. Taiwan’s fire department stated that 124 people remained missing in Hualien county. Ragasa had already caused destruction in Northern Philippines, toppling trees and tearing roofs off buildings, killing at least two people. Hong Kong and parts of southern China were on high alert as Ragasa approached with powerful winds and rains, forcing authorities to suspend classes and close businesses. The storm was generating maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h near its center while moving west across the South China Sea.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/24/super-typhoon-ragasa-update-path-hong-kong-taiwan-china
