TAIWAN – At least 17 people died and 17 others went missing in Taiwan after Typhoon Ragasa triggered floods according to local reports on Wednesday.

The heavy rainfall Tuesday caused the Matai’an Creek Barrier Lake to overflow, sending torrents of water into Guangfu Township in Hualien County, inundating streets nearly one story high, and carrying away vehicles. Sections of the Matai’an River Bridge were also washed away.

Rescue teams are struggling to locate 17 missing people as 32 were also injured.

Authorities also evacuated more than 3,000 people to a safe location from Guangfu, Fenglin and Wanrong townships.

Emergency officials warned the number of casualties could rise as assessments continue and missing residents have not been accounted for.

In the Philippines, authorities confirmed that at least nine people have been killed by Super Typhoon Ragasa since Tuesday, after seven more bodies were recovered from a capsized fishing vessel off San Vicente, Santa Ana, Cagayan on Wednesday.

Typhoon Ragasa in China

Chinese authorities relocated more than 1 million people to safe locations after South China’s Guangdong province raised its typhoon emergency response to the highest level as Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches, with landfall expected along the central or western coast Wednesday, according to state-run media.

So far. More than 1.04 million people had been relocated, and over 80,000 fishing boats secured in ports, Xinhua News reported.

Nearly 12,300 offshore workers have also been brought ashore as the storm, packing winds of up to 55 meters per second (123 miles per hour), advances toward the Pearl River Delta.

Authorities suspended school classes, businesses, factories and transport in more than 10 cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Dongguan.

Zhuhai imposed citywide traffic controls late Tuesday, banning non-essential vehicles and urging residents to remain indoors.

Authorities also deployed hundreds of rescue personnel, firefighters and emergency workers while the China National Offshore Oil Corporation evacuated over 5,000 staff from its South China Sea platforms.