Typhoon Ragasa is barrelling through China, as the death toll in Taiwan reaches 14.

As a result of the storm - previously a super typhoon - a number of Australians find themselves stranded in Hong Kong, with thousands of flights cancelled and airports shut.

The extent of the destruction is starting to be realised as the system pushes west along the southern Chinese coast toward Vietnam.

It was anything but happy hour at Melbourne man Viviano Romito's harbourside bistro, Frites.

"When mother nature calls, there's not much you can do," he told 9News.

"The pressure of the wave came right over the wall and directly into the restaurant.

"Completely gutted right throughout, the whole bottom floor."

Hurricane-force winds whipped up a storm surge that swamped multiple waterfront business

See Full Page