Hong Kong: Super Typhoon Ragasa lashed Hong Kong on Tuesday night with hurricane-force winds and torrential rain, forcing the city to shut down schools, businesses, and transport while authorities warned of worsening conditions as the storm pushed toward mainland China.

The Hong Kong Observatory raised its highest storm warning, the No. 10 hurricane signal, as sustained winds near the storm’s center reached 220 kilometers per hour. Officials reported at least 13 people injured, while flooding hit coastal areas including Lantau Island. Roads were deserted, trees uprooted, and parts of bridges and rooftops were damaged as waves surged onto the waterfront.

The airport suspended operations for 36 hours, with more than 700 flights canceled across Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Public transport was suspended and residents were urged to stay indoors as heavy showers and thunderstorms battered the territory.

In Taiwan, the storm’s outer bands triggered catastrophic flooding in Hualien County after a barrier lake overflowed, leaving 14 people dead and at least 124 missing. Earlier in the Philippines, Ragasa caused three deaths, displaced more than 17,500 people, and left several missing after landslides and flooding.

Mainland China is bracing for the full force of Ragasa, with forecasts showing landfall between Taishan and Zhanjiang in Guangdong province later Wednesday. Authorities have evacuated more than 770,000 people and warned of storm surges of up to 2.8 meters. Over one million residents are expected to be relocated as schools, offices, and ports remain closed.

The storm is one of the most powerful of the year, with meteorologists comparing its potential destructiveness to past disasters such as Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018. Emergency services across the region remain on high alert as the death toll continues to rise and damage assessments begin.