On September 24th, as Super Typhoon Ragasa battered Zhuhai City in Guangdong Province, local authorities issued a Level I emergency warning. Heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in Doumen District. That evening, residents captured footage of a BYD Yangwang U8 repeatedly driving through a flooded section of Jinwan Central Road in Jing’an Subdistrict, generating massive waves that crashed into nearby storefronts, as reported by D-News.
The viral video shows the SUV’s wake shattering shop windows and warping metal shutters. In one clip, pedestrians are visibly terrified as glass explodes. Witnesses confronted the driver, accusing them of intentionally making multiple passes through the flooded area.
One shop owner reported devastating damage, with ruined merchandise and electrical fires. “After the vehicle passed, our entire power system failed,” they stated, thanking residents for recording the incident as evidence.
Zhuhai police confirmed the driver has been summoned for questioning. Authorities urged affected businesses to document damages with photos and surveillance footage for official reports. The investigation is ongoing.
The Yangwang U8 plows through floodwaters reaching its hood, creating powerful waves that damaged multiple storefronts.
The incident sparked debates about public safety during extreme weather and driver responsibility in flooded areas. It also drew attention to the vehicle itself – BYD’s luxury Yangwang U8 SUV.
Launched in September 2023 with a starting price of 1.089 million yuan (approximately $152,700), the U8 was designed by Wolfgang Egger, former design chief at Lamborghini and Audi. Its dimensions are 5,319 mm (L) x 2,050 mm (W) x 1,930 mm (H) with a 3,050 mm wheelbase. The Off-road Master Edition boasts a 1,400 mm wading depth and features like side steps and roof rails for rugged terrain.
The U8’s standout feature is its Intelligent Individual Wheel Drive (IWD) system with four independent motors, enabling unique capabilities like 180-degree “tank turns” and 30 minutes of emergency flotation. BYD emphasizes this feature is intended for disaster response, not recreational use.
Super Typhoon Ragasa, known as Nando in the Philippines, was the strongest tropical cyclone of 2025. Forming from a disturbance north of Yap Island in mid-September, it rapidly intensified to Category 5 status with 270 km/h winds and a minimum pressure of 905 mb. After making landfall in Cagayan Province (Philippines) on September 22nd, it impacted Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and southern China. The storm caused widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage, leaving at least 25 dead, 133 injured, dozens missing, and millions displaced.
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