Video: Floodwater Breaks Hotel Door As Super Typhoon Ragasa Hits Hong Kong

Super Typhoon Ragasa Wreaks Havoc Across East Asia

The tourist-popular region of Guangfu in Hualien's scenic area has been severely flooded due to the typhoon.

Super Typhoon Ragasa, among the most powerful storms to strike East Asia in recent years, has left a trail of destruction across Taiwan and the Philippines before bringing enormous waves to Hong Kong's coastline early Wednesday, effectively paralyzing life along China's southern coast.

Hong Kong suffered extensive damage as violent winds tore away sections of a pedestrian bridge roof and uprooted hundreds of trees throughout the city. A ship crashed into the shoreline, destroying a sequence of glass railings along the waterfront area.

Viral footage online captured dramatic scenes of water surging through a hotel's entrance doors, completely flooding its interior spaces. While the hotel has yet to issue an official statement about the incident, staff members were observed cleaning the lobby, with visible damage to portions of the building's exterior.

Glass doors were completely SMASHED by the powerful flood current, knocking over hotel guests and sweeping away everything in its path pic.twitter.com/hYh0brSRTi

— RT (@RT_com) September 24, 2025

Flooding affected numerous riverside areas and promenades, including bicycle paths and recreational spaces. Restaurant furniture along several promenades was chaotically displaced by the strong winds. Medical facilities reported treating over 60 injured individuals.

In mainland China, authorities relocated nearly 1.9 million residents across Guangdong province. The national meteorological agency predicted the super typhoon would make landfall between Yangjiang and Zhanjiang cities during the evening hours. Approximately a dozen cities suspended schools, factories, and transportation services.

The death toll in Taiwan has reached at least 17 people, with numerous others trapped or missing in the eastern region after Ragasa caused a mountain lake to overflow its banks, according to official reports. The barrier lake in Hualien County, formed by landslides triggered by earlier heavy rainfall in the island's sparsely populated eastern area, burst on Tuesday afternoon, sending massive volumes of muddy water cascading into the nearby Guangfu township.

Social media footage reveals the lake overflowing and causing catastrophic flooding throughout the mountain community.

Lake overflows resulting in catastrophic flooding, following landslide with 14 dead and 18 injured in Taiwan https://t.co/sJkA350DDh pic.twitter.com/a2heFY0FYS

— RT (@RT_com) September 24, 2025

Guangfu, situated in the picturesque Hualien region frequented by tourists, has approximately 8,450 residents. More than half sought safety by moving to higher floors within their homes or evacuating to elevated ground. Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that rescue teams were conducting door-to-door checks on these residents.

While subtropical Taiwan frequently experiences typhoons and typically maintains an efficient disaster response system that prevents mass casualties through prompt evacuation procedures, Guangfu residents reported receiving inadequate warning when the lake overflowed amid the torrential rainfall brought by the super typhoon.

Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai has called for an investigation into failures in the evacuation process. Cho emphasized that the immediate priority remains locating the 152 individuals still missing, though serious questions require answers.

"Regarding the 14 individuals who have tragically lost their lives, we must investigate why evacuation directives weren't properly implemented in the designated areas...This isn't about assigning blame, but about uncovering the truth," he stated to reporters in Guangfu.

Guangfu postal worker Hsieh Chien-tung told Reuters that the floodwater struck the city "like a tsunami." He managed to escape to the post office's second floor just in time and later discovered his vehicle had been swept into his living room when he finally returned home.

Fire department officials confirmed that all fatalities and missing persons were located in Guangfu, where the floodwaters destroyed a major bridge spanning across a river.