Flood surged through streets as Super Typhoon Ragasa battered Taiwan today.

Footage shows dark muddy water submerging a road in Hualien County on September 23.

Food carts and rubbish were swept away by the deluge as locals were left trapped in their homes.

Local media reported that the Mataian landslide dam in the county overflowed at around 2:50 pm local time, sending torrents rushing downstream.

Super Typhoon Ragasa, said to be the strongest storm of the year so far, is roaring towards Hong Kong and China after tearing through the northern tip of the Philippines, killing at least one and displacing thousands.

It made landfall in the Philippines' remote and poverty-stricken Babuyan Islands at 3 pm local time on Monday. It arrived as the country continues to grapple with weeks of severe flooding brought on by an unusually intense monsoon season.

Taiwan's state weather service forecasted 'extremely torrential rain' as Ragasa churns toward Taiwan.

The agency said: 'Its storm radius is quite large, about 320 kilometres (200 miles). Although the typhoon's centre is still some distance away, its wide, strong wind field and outer circulation are already affecting parts of Taiwan.'

The Central News Agency said at least six people were injured and more than 7,000 people were evacuated when the typhoon lashed the southern part of Taiwan.