Super Typhoon Ragasa forces evacuations in Philippines, Taiwan as it tracks toward China

Super Typhoon Ragasa, with sustained winds of 215 kph and gusts to 265 kph, continued its westward march Monday toward the South China Sea, prompting evacuations in northern Philippines and closures in Taiwan as authorities brace for possible flooding and landslides. The storm was centered east of Calayan, a small island off Cagayan province, and was moving west at about 20 kph. Forecasters said Ragasa could pass close to or make landfall over the Babuyan Islands by midday or early afternoon.

Power was knocked out on Calayan and in the northern mountain province of Apayao, disaster-response officials said. The Philippines' weather agency warned of coastal inundation with a high risk of life-threatening storm surge peaking above 3 meters in low-lying or exposed coastal localities across Cagayan, Batanes, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended government work and classes in Manila and 29 provinces in the main northern Luzon region. More than 8,200 people evacuated to safety in Cagayan and about 1,220 fled to emergency shelters in Apayao. Domestic flights were suspended in the affected northern provinces, and fishing boats and inter-island ferries were banned from leaving ports due to very rough seas.

Ragasa, the 14th weather disturbance to batter the Philippines this year, is forecast to remain in the South China Sea at least into Wednesday while passing south of Taiwan and Hong Kong before making landfall on the Chinese mainland. Taiwan's southern counties of Taitung and Pingtung ordered closures in some coastal and mountainous areas as well as on the Orchid and Green islands. The typhoon is expected to sweep south of Hong Kong and Macao; some Hong Kong residents began stocking up on extra food, and the government has provided more than double the usual number of sandbags to flood-prone areas. Macao police urged residents living in low-lying areas to prepare for possible evacuation. Ragasa is expected to bring torrential rains and heavy winds to China’s mainland coastal areas starting Tuesday.

In China, Guangdong province ordered the suspension of schools, offices, factories and transportation in the cities of Jiangmen, Yangjiang, Zhongshan and Zhuhai as Ragasa moves along the coast and could make landfall more than once, according to the national weather agency. Authorities urged residents to stock emergency supplies, reinforce doors and windows, and to stay away from flooded underground areas. The storm is expected to track along the coast and move toward the interior later this week.

The approach of Ragasa comes amid investigations by both chambers of Congress in the Philippines into a corruption scandal involving flood-control projects and alleged kickbacks, highlighting concerns about the reliability of infrastructure funded for disaster response. While no immediate reports of casualties or major damage had been confirmed as of Monday afternoon, officials urged continued vigilance and preparedness across affected regions.