Super Typhoon Ragasa has caused widespread devastation in the Taiwan region, with local authorities confirming at least 14 fatalities and over 100 people missing as of Wednesday. Rescue teams are battling heavy rains and flooding to locate survivors, while the storm's outer bands continue to lash coastal areas.
The hardest-hit Hualien County saw a critical dam overflow on Tuesday afternoon, submerging villages and cutting off transportation routes. Emergency crews have deployed helicopters and boats to evacuate stranded residents, though landslides and damaged infrastructure are hampering efforts.
"This is one of the most severe weather events in recent memory," a spokesperson for the Taiwan region's emergency operation center stated. "We urge all residents to avoid coastal zones and mountain areas until the system fully passes."
Meteorologists warn that rainfall totals could exceed 1,000 millimeters in eastern Taiwan, with wind gusts reaching 200 km/h. The typhoon's path has disrupted shipping lanes in the Taiwan Strait and temporarily halted operations at major semiconductor manufacturing hubs.
As climate experts highlight increasing typhoon intensity in the Western Pacific, this disaster underscores the urgent need for regional disaster preparedness coordination. The Chinese mainland has offered assistance through cross-strait emergency response channels.
