A Super Typhoon Slammed Into Taiwan, Causing Extreme Flooding That Has Killed At Least 17 People
Super Typhoon Ragasa was the world’s strongest storm of 2025.
Eastern Taiwan has been ravaged by severe floods that have killed at least 17 people after a super typhoon hit the country, causing a lake serving as a barrier to burst its banks.
Super Typhoon Ragasa, which formed on Sept. 17, had been lashing Hualien County since Monday, Sept. 22, after sweeping through northern Philippines.
Ragasa, the world's strongest storm in 2025, had caused the Matai’an Creek Barrier Lake, which held an estimated 90 million tonnes of water behind a 200-meter-high dam, to overflow on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 23, sending torrents of water into the town of Guangfu.
Residents said the flood waters had reached the second floor in less than 10 minutes, forcing families to climb onto rooftops to survive.
The disaster killed at least 17 people , injured 18 others and 17 people remain missing, according to Taiwanese authorities.
Most of those killed were elderly people who were unable to escape their houses and get to higher ground on time.
Videos shared online showed cars and houses being swept through the city, a bridge collapsing under rising water and streets and buildings buried in mud.
The floods forced more than 5,000 people to evacuate, and 20 temporary shelters are now housing the displaced.
More than 160 flights were canceled at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Wednesday, Sept. 24, and some train and ferry routes were also suspended.
Local volunteers, including young people driving trucks loaded with food and supplies, have joined efforts to deliver aid to cut-off communities
Rescue operations in Guangfu are still underway as of Sept. 24.
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Flavie Chen
Vicky Ho
