Super typhoon lashes Hong Kong after killing 17 people in Taiwan

Fierce winds, pounding rain and high seas battered Hong Kong yesterday as Super Typhoon Ragasa headed into southern China after causing a barrier lake to burst its banks in Taiwan, killing at least 17 people.

- Amy Hawkins

Hong Kong experienced widespread damage, including fallen trees and flooding in many districts, with the storm surge smashing the glass doors of an upmarket hotel and flooding its lobby, according to videos circulating online.

Ragasa had brought a “significant storm surge”, with waters along coastal areas rising more than 3 metres above the reference level, the Hong Kong Observatory said.

Macau, which also experienced widespread flooding, suspended power supplies to some low-lying areas, according to the utility company CEM.