In Guangfu, the Taiwanese town where the lake burst killing 14 people, some 5,200 people or nearly 60 per cent of the population had been told to seek shelter – either on the upper floors of their homes or to the homes of friends and relatives.

Soldiers in armoured carriers delivered water and food as streets became choked with mud.

Councillor Lamen Panay criticised the evacuation orders, saying that advice to “evacuate vertically” was not enough to withstand such a surge.

A barrier lake in Taiwan’s mountainous east burst its banks during Super Typhoon Ragasa, sending a wall of water through Guangfu township.

The lake had formed after days of landslides triggered by torrential rain. When it overflowed on yesterday afternoon, an estimated 60 million tonnes of water tore through homes, vehicles and bridges in Hualien county.

The water hit like a “tsunami,” a local postman Hsieh, who fled to the second floor of his post office as floodwaters surged, told Reuters news agency. Later, he got home to find his car had been swept into the living-room.

Entire villages were left cut off. At least 14 people have died and 124 are missing, officials said.

At least 14 people have been killed and 124 remain missing after a barrier lake in Taiwan burst its banks following torrential rains from Super Typhoon Ragasa, officials said.

The lake, formed by landslides in Hualien county after downpours, sent a wall of water crashing into Guangfu township yesterday.

“As of 7am Wednesday, 14 people are confirmed dead and 18 were reported injured,” Lee Kuan-ting, a county press official, said.

Taiwan’s fire department said search teams were still trying to locate 124 missing residents.

The outer rim of Ragasa has battered Taiwan since Monday, while the storm also killed at least three people in the northern Philippines and forced thousands into evacuation shelters.

The Hong Kong Home Affairs Department said about 684 people sought refuge in 49 temporary shelters across the city.

The super typhoon was centered around 190km (118 miles) south-east of Hong Kong at around midnight local time.

Hong Kong Airport handled 600 flights on Tuesday, according to officials, which is about half of its daily average of around 1,100.

The Airport Authority Hong Kong said there will be limited flights operating on Wednesday, including a small number of cargo flights.

The Hong Kong Observatory said the weather will deteriorate “rapidly” as Super Typhoon Ragasa is expected to bring hurricane-force winds with speeds of up to 230km/h (143mph) and thunderstorms.

It has already issued a No 8 warning signal on Tuesday, the third highest on the scale, but it said it will consider raising it to No 9 on Wednesday when the super typhoon is expected to be closest to the city.