Super Typhoon Ragasa closes in on Hong Kong and southern China with 137 mph winds and four-metre surge

A super typhoon described as the year’s most powerful tropical cyclone to threaten the region is bearing down on Hong Kong and southern China, with maximum sustained winds near 137 miles per hour and a forecast storm surge of up to four metres. Ragasa, nicknamed the “King of Storms” in dispatches from the region, moved west across the South China Sea toward Guangdong and was expected to maintain its intensity as it nears the coast. Forecasters warned the storm could deliver destruction on a scale not seen in recent years, prompting authorities to prepare for life-threatening conditions, evacuations, and major disruptions to transportation and commerce.

Hong Kong intensified preparations as Ragasa approached. The city ordered schools closed and flights canceled as authorities warned residents to stay indoors and avoid coastal areas. The Hong Kong Observatory issued its third-highest typhoon signal, T8, signaling widespread, fierce winds and dangerous seas. Officials urged the public to secure properties, with sandbags and barricades installed in vulnerable districts and heightened monitoring of coastal defenses. Airport authorities said while the airport would remain operational, travelers should expect significant disruption to flight schedules, with hundreds of flights anticipated to be affected and circulation of advisories across airlines. The city also faced closures or reduced operations in several services and venues, including the suspension of Wednesday’s horse-racing event and continued efforts to limit travel as conditions deteriorate. .

Across the border in mainland China, authorities moved quickly to blunt the storm’s impact. Guangdong’s emergency management bureau ordered businesses and schools to shut in at least 10 southern cities, and Shenzhen ordered the evacuation of about 400,000 residents in preparation for the anticipated landfall. Officials warned residents to stay away from coastal areas and riverbanks, cautioning that the peak of Ragasa’s influence could bring strong winds, heavy rain, and dangerous seas to the province’s coastline. In addition to closures, port and shipping services faced suspensions and lines were rerouted to accommodate the forecast conditions as authorities advised emergency responders to remain on high alert for storm-related incidents.

The storm’s reach extended well beyond China’s shores. Ragasa had already battered the northern Philippines, toppling trees, tearing roofs, and triggering landslides that killed at least two people, according to local authorities. Thousands sought shelter in schools and evacuation centers as rain bands stretched across the region. In Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon, public agencies suspended work and classes, and airlines canceled about two dozen domestic flights. Ferry services were halted as ports faced disruptions and travel networks recalibrated to the risk posed by Ragasa’s outer bands. The region’s disaster response agencies were placed on high alert as communities braced for worsening conditions.

Ragasa made landfall on Calayan Island in the Cagayan province, a development that heightened concerns about storm surges potentially exceeding four metres. The Babuyan Islands remained under a high-level storm warning, with residents urged to stay away from coastal areas and riverbanks. Disaster footage from the region showed extreme winds, crashing waves, and widespread flooding as outer rainbands pounded northern Luzon and surrounding coastlines. The government suspended work and classes across Metro Manila and large parts of northern Luzon, signaling a broad mobilization of resources to address power outages, landslides, and dangerous seas as the storm advanced inland.

In Hong Kong, the coming hours were seen as critical. Officials warned of serious hazards comparable to some of the city’s most damaging storms in recent history. Local authorities intensified preparations at transportation hubs, border crossings, and emergency response nodes, while residents stockpiled essentials amid a rapid-straining supply chain atmosphere. The city’s aviation and port authorities signaled that while operations would continue, the window for normal flight schedules would be limited and subject to abrupt changes as Ragasa progressed. The government also coordinated with neighboring jurisdictions to monitor the storm’s trajectory and potential cross-border impacts.

Across the wider region, scientists cautioned that the observed intensification of Ragasa and similar events is consistent with broader climate trends. Many researchers warn that warmer ocean temperatures and shifting atmospheric patterns, driven in part by human-caused climate change, are contributing to stronger storms and higher surges in coastal areas. Officials stressed the importance of preparedness, resilient infrastructure, and rapid information sharing to mitigate loss of life and property as storms of this magnitude become more common in parts of Asia.

As Ragasa advances, authorities urged continued vigilance. Residents in low-lying and coastal areas along the Guangdong coast, as well as visitors and workers in the southern cities, should remain indoors when advised, monitor official briefings, and follow any evacuation or shelter-in-place orders issued by local agencies. Transportation networks are expected to experience ongoing disturbances through the coming days, with the potential for power outages and disruptions in essential services. Emergency response teams are positioned to respond to incidents, and cross-border coordination remains active to manage shared risks and resources as Ragasa’s path unfolds across the western South China Sea.

The event underscores the daily reality of climate-impacted extremes for communities across Asia. While authorities prepare for the worst, communities are urged to heed official guidance, secure property and supplies, and remain prepared for eventual restoration of services once Ragasa moves away from the coast. Officials cautioned that even after the highest winds pass, residual rainfall and flooding could persist, impeding recovery efforts and requiring extended caution in affected areas. The situation remains dynamic as meteorologists track Ragasa’s continued westward motion toward Guangdong and the wider Pearl River Delta region, with updates expected as new data come in from regional weather services and disaster response agencies.