Typhoon Ragasa batters Hong Kong and southern China after causing deaths in Taiwan and Philippines

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HONG KONG (AP) — Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest in years, whipped waves taller than lampposts onto Hong Kong promenades and halted life on the southern Chinese coast early Wednesday after leaving destruction in Taiwan and the Philippines.

In Taiwan, 14 people died in flooding caused by the typhoon, and three deaths were previously reported in the Philippines.

The fierce winds woke Hong Kong residents in the early hours, and many went online to describe scenes like a kitchen ventilation fan being blown down and a crane swaying.

Strong winds blew away parts of a pedestrian bridge’s roof and knocked down trees across the city. Areas around two rivers and promenades were flooded. About 13 injured people were treated at hospitals.

More than a million people were relocated across Guangdong province, the southern Chinese economic powerhouse, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The national weather agency forecast the super typhoon would make landfall between the cities of Taishan and Zhanjiang between Wednesday afternoon and evening. Schools, factories and transit services were suspended in about a dozen cities.

Hong Kong and Macao, a nearby casino hub, canceled schools and flights, with many shops closed. Hundreds of people sought refuge in temporary centers in each city. One was injured in Macao.

Hong Kong’s observatory said Ragasa, with maximum sustained winds near the center of about 195 kph (120 mph), was skirting around 100 kilometers (62 miles) to the south of the financial hub. It was forecast to continuing moving west or west-northwest at about 22 kph (about 14 mph).

Ragasa earlier caused deaths and damage in Taiwan and the Philippines after the typhoon took a path between them on Monday.

In Taiwan, heavy rain caused a barrier lake in Hualien County to overflow Tuesday and torrents of muddy water destroyed a bridge, turning roads in Guangfu township into churning rivers that carried vehicles and furniture away. Local authorities said 14 people died and 124 others were missing in the township, with 34 people injured across the self-ruled island.

In the northern Philippines, Ragasa, Tagalog for scramble, left at least three people dead, five others missing and displaced more than 17,500 people in flooding and landslides, officials said Tuesday.

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Associated Press videojournalist Johnson Lai contributed to this report from Taipei, Taiwan.