At least 14 people have died in Taiwan&rsquo;s Hualien county after a barrier lake overflowed during Typhoon Ragasa, unleashing massive floods that swept through Guangfu township.
The disaster struck on Tuesday afternoon when the landslide-formed lake, swollen by relentless rains, burst its banks. 
YHolding nearly 91 million tonnes of water, it released about 60 million tonnes into the township, submerging large areas.
Officials said around 60% of Guangfu&rsquo;s 8,500 residents survived through a &ldquo;vertical evacuation,&rdquo; seeking safety on the upper floors of their homes, while others fled to relatives&rsquo; houses. 
Taiwan&rsquo;s fire department confirmed that 124 people remain missing in Hualien, the hardest-hit region.
Since Monday, the island has endured heavy downpours from the outer bands of Super Typhoon Ragasa, which dumped close to 70 cm of rain in Hualien. 
The powerful storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h, is now advancing toward southern China and Hong Kong.
In Guangdong province, Chinese authorities have relocated over 1 million people as a precaution. 
Schools, airports, and businesses across several cities have been closed, while residents have rushed to stockpile food and reinforce their homes.
According to China&rsquo;s National Meteorological Center, Ragasa is expected to make landfall on Wednesday between Taishan and Zhanjiang in Guangdong. 
Widespread torrential rain is forecast across Guangdong and Fujian, raising concerns of catastrophic flooding similar to past deadly storms such as Typhoon Hato (2017) and Typhoon Mangkhut (2018).

Flooded Taiwanese town submerged after typhoon Ragasa

Barrier lake burst in Hualien, 124 missing, storm heads toward China’s Guangdong coast

Typhoon Ragasa kills 14 In Taiwan floods

Barrier lake burst in Hualien, 124 missing, storm heads toward China’s Guangdong coast

September 24, 2025 | 09:38 IST