A weakened Tropical Storm Ragasa moved west along China’s southern coast towards Vietnam on Thursday after battering Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines, killing at least 25 people.
On Wednesday, China’s Guangdong province faced the wrath of Ragasa, the world’s strongest cyclone this year flooding homes and over 56,000 households without power.
Ragasa ‘completely ripped everything apart’
Tropical Storm Ragasa, downgraded from a super typhoon, peaked on Monday hitting the Philippines with maximum sustained winds of 265 kph (165 mph), killing at least 11 people.
A day later, the storm caused a lake burst that left at least 14 people dead in Taiwan.
More than 100 people were injured in Hong Kong in the storm’s wake and about 1,000 flights were canceled. Hong Kong was under the highest typhoon warning for most of Wednesday as huge waves crashed over the areas along the eastern and southern shoreline. Additionally, widespread flooding submerged some roads and residential areas.
Meanwhile, authorities evacuated nearly 2 million residents from homes in Guangdong province, where the storm toppled more than 50,000 trees and forced schools and businesses to shut down.
“The winds were so strong, you can see it completely ripped everything apart,” Lin Xiaobing told the AFP news agency.
Typhoon clean-up efforts in progress
Crews in China cleared thousands of downed trees and debris from the submerged streets in the cities of Yangjiang and Zhuhai, while relief workers cleaned up blocked roads and used boats to rescue stranded residents.
Beijing earmarked over $49 million (€41.74 million) for rescue and recovery operations, Xinhua reported.
In Hong Kong, schools and businesses reopened on Thursday as authorities tackled more than 1,200 fallen trees and widespread flooding.
Hong Kong resumed flights out of its international airport on Thursday after a 36-hour suspension.
“It is anticipated that flights will be scheduled until late into late night tomorrow, handling over 1,000 flights at the normal level,” Hong Kong’s Airport Authority said.
Where is the tropical storm headed next?
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Ragasa made its second landfall in Beihai, Guangxi, at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday (2200 Wednesday UTC/GMT) as a tropical storm.
The weakened Ragasa, with winds of 65 kph, moved west toward Vietnam, where Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered immediate preparations.
Authorities moved to secure infrastructure, protect fishing vessels and evacuate residents.
Some of the flights were canceled or rescheduled.
Ragasa is forecast to remain a rain threat across Vietnam and parts of Southeast Asia before eventually dissipating.
Meanwhile, authorities in the Philippines warned that another system, Tropical Storm Bualoi, could hit the country’s eastern coast on Friday.
Edited by Sean Sinico
