Desk Report:
Taiwan’s eastern region is hit by a terrible cyclone. Super Typhoon Ragasa hit Guangfu area at 4:30 am local time on Tuesday. As of the latest reports, this Category 5 hurricane has killed 14 people so far, and 124 are missing.
According to a report by Qatari media outlet Al Jazeera, most of the dead are elderly. According to the Hualien County Fire Department, 34 more people in Guangfu area were seriously injured in the storm. Taiwanese media outlet Central News Agency reported that the situation has become more complicated when the Matai’an Canal Barrier Lake in Guangfu Township overflowed due to heavy rain.
Some areas in Hualien County have recorded up to 700 millimeters of rain. Other cities in the south and east have received 500-600 millimeters of rain. President William Lai Ching posted on Facebook that all ministries and the military have been involved in emergency rescue and relief operations. He warned, “Everyone must be vigilant. Rescue workers on the ground must also prioritize their own safety.”
In such a situation, about 150 flights have been canceled in Taiwan. Some railway lines and ferry services have also been suspended.
Meanwhile, more than 700 flights have also been canceled in Hong Kong. The city has been on the highest alert ‘T10’ since Wednesday morning. There are gusts of wind of 153 kilometers per hour. The gust speed has exceeded 184 kilometers. It is also reported that the tidal wave has reached the height of lampposts.
More than 1.89 million people have already been evacuated to safe shelters in China’s Guangdong province. Local authorities said that the typhoon could hit the province by this afternoon. Therefore, they said that they are ensuring that everyone is on the highest alert.
