Super Typhoon Ragasa: ‘King of Storms’ to hit China TODAY as nearly two million people evacuate after hurricane sweeps Taiwan to leave 15 dead – live updates

Taiwan’s premier Cho Jung-tai has called for an inquiry after 15 people were killed as a result of strong flooding caused by Super Typhoon Ragasa.

Residents in Guangfu, where all the deaths took place, said there was insufficient warning when a barrier lake overflowed during torrential rains.

Cho has now called for an inquiry into what went wrong with evacuation orders.

Speaking earlier, he said:

For the 14 who have tragically passed away, we must investigate why evacuation orders were not carried out in the designated areas.This is not about assigning blame, but about uncovering the truth.

The death toll has since been revised up to 15.

The government said the overflow of the barrier lake released about 60 million tonnes of an estimated 91 million tonnes of water, enough to fill about 36,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Taiwan’s fire department has confirmed another person has died as a result of the typhoon to bring the total number to 15.

Authorities have today also adjusted down to 17 the number of people missing from a flood caused by a typhoon, from 152 given previously.

The deaths occurred when a decades-old lake barrier burst after Super Typhoon Ragasa pounded the island with torrential rain.

The lake in eastern Hualien county – formed by series of landslides that created a natural dam wall – burst Tuesday, washing away a bridge and sweeping into a town with a trail of thick sludge and mud.

Here are some pictures showing how Ragasa is leaving a trail of destruction in Shenzhen, the city linking Hong Kong to mainland China.

China’s marine authority has warned of a high risk of flooding in Shenzhen, especially in low-lying areas, with a storm surge alert expected to remain in effect until Thursday.

Hong Kong lowered its typhoon signal to 8 from 10 just after 1pm (5am GMT) on Wednesday, keeping the city locked down.

Businesses and transport services were shut down to avoid major damage.

The hospital authority said at least 50 people had been injured by the typhoon, while the government had opened 50 temporary shelters, within which 791 sought refuge.

In the gambling hub of Macau next to Hong Kong, casinos were forced to shutter their gambling areas.

Guests are not able to leave their property if they are staying there.

China’s marine authority, the National Maritime Environmental Forecasting Center, issued its highest ‘red’ wave warning for the first time this year, forecasting storm surges of up to 9 feet in parts of Guangdong province, as Ragasa charges towards the densely populated Pearl River Delta.

Ragasa formed over the Western Pacific last week. Fuelled by warm seas and favourable atmospheric conditions, the tropical cyclone rapidly intensified to become a Category 5 super typhoon on Monday with winds exceeding 260 kph (162 mph).

It has since weakened to a Category 3 typhoon, which is still capable of bringing down trees and power lines, shattering windows and damaging buildings.

Here’s what you need to know as Ragasa barrels it way towards southern China today:

• Ragasa is on course to make landfall in China’s Guangdong province at around 10pm local time (3pm UK time) after wreaking destruction in the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong
• Some 1.9 million people have already been evacuated in the Chinese province, the most populous in the country, as hurricane-force winds of more than 100mph approach
• Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan and Dongguan, the largest cities in the storm’s path, are home to around 50 million people
• Authorities have dispatched tens of thousands of tents, folding beds, emergency lighting equipment and other rescue supplies to cities across the province
• In Taiwan, 14 people have been killed and 129 are missing after a barrier lake overflowed and sent a wall of water into a town
• Meanwhile Hong Kong has been drenched as it grappled with huge waves that crashed over areas of the Asian financial hub’s eastern and southern shoreline
• Ragasa, which formed over the Western Pacific last week, rapidly intensified to become a Category 5 super typhoon on Monday with winds exceeding 260 kph (162 mph)
• It has since weakened to a Category 3 typhoon, which is still capable of bringing down trees and power lines, shattering windows and damaging buildings

Hello and welcome to the Daily Mail’s live coverage of Super Typhoon Ragasa which is expected to make landfall in China today.

Nearly two million people have been evacuated in Guangdong, the country’s most populous province, as the powerful storm barrels it way across the South China Sea having wreaked destruction in the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Ragasa is on course to make landfall between the cities of Yangjiang and Zhanjiang today as authorities close schools and businesses.

Stick with us for the latest developments on the storm throughout the day.