Typhoon Ragasa grounds 133 flights to and from Taiwan's main airport

Taipei, Sept. 24 (CNA) Typhoon Ragasa forced the cancellation of 133 flights to and from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Wednesday, disrupting passenger and cargo services as the powerful storm that ravaged parts of eastern Taiwan was headed toward southern China.

As of 4 p.m., a total of 105 passenger flights -- mostly on Hong Kong and Macau routes or involving Hong Kong airlines -- and 28 cargo flights had been canceled for all of Wednesday, according to Taoyuan International Airport Corp.

The company urged travelers to confirm their flight's status with their airlines before heading to the airport.

After passing south of Taiwan, Typhoon Ragasa headed in the general direction of Hong Kong and Macau and then toward Hainan Island on Wednesday, causing disruptions to flights in those areas.

As of Wednesday morning, Typhoon Ragasa had claimed at least 17 lives in Taiwan -- all in Hualien County -- caused 32 injuries, including 18 in Hualien, and left 17 people missing, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center and the National Fire Agency.