Taipei: Taiwan is grappling with the aftermath of Typhoon Ragasa, one of the most powerful storms of 2025, which unleashed catastrophic flooding after a mountain lake in Hualien County burst under the pressure of relentless rainfall.

The barrier lake, created earlier this year by a landslide blocking a valley, had swelled to dangerous levels as Ragasa’s torrential rains poured into it.

By mid-September, the natural dam stood about 120 meters high, holding nearly 91 million metric tons of water.

On September 23, the dam gave way, releasing around 60 million metric tons in a sudden surge that swept downstream.

The town of Guangfu bore the brunt of the disaster, with floodwaters described by residents as a tsunami-like wave. The deluge destroyed a bridge, swamped homes and farmland, and left entire neighborhoods covered in mud and debris. Emergency crews rushed to the area, but survivors have raised concerns over whether warnings came too late to allow proper evacuation.

Taiwan’s fire department has revised the official death toll to 14, while 33 people remain missing. Earlier figures were higher but were reduced after duplicate counts were corrected.

Rescue operations continue, with authorities focusing on isolated areas cut off by landslides and washed-out roads. Water shortages are also affecting communities in Hualien as cleanup efforts intensify.

The storm did not stop at Taiwan’s shores. After battering the island, Ragasa moved on to southern China and Hong Kong, where millions were evacuated. Guangdong province saw red storm surge warnings, while Hong Kong endured hurricane-force winds, flooding, and infrastructure damage.

The incident highlights the growing risks posed by barrier lakes in Taiwan’s mountainous terrain. Experts warn that with climate change driving increasingly intense rainfall events, the threat of sudden dam failures and flash floods could become more frequent.

Government officials have pledged to review disaster preparedness and improve early warning systems in vulnerable areas. For the residents of Guangfu, however, the immediate focus remains on recovery and rebuilding after one of the island’s most destructive natural disasters in recent memory.