Super Typhoon Ragasa to hit China as nearly 2 million evacuate; 14 dead in Taiwan

Super Typhoon Ragasa, the world's most powerful tropical cyclone this year, is on track to strike southern China's Guangdong province later tonight, prompting the evacuation of nearly 1.9 million people and triggering widespread closures. Authorities expect landfall around 10 p.m. local time (3 p.m. UK time) between the cities of Yangjiang and Zhanjiang as Ragasa barrels toward the densely populated region.

Ragasa has already left a fatal toll in its wake, including 14 confirmed deaths in Taiwan where a barrier lake overflow sent a wall of water through a town and 129 people remain missing. Hong Kong has also endured strong winds and heavy rain as the typhoon moved through the region, with authorities warning of dangerous seas and coastal flooding.

In Guangdong, authorities confirmed about 1.9 million people had been evacuated from homes as hurricane-force winds of more than 100 mph closed schools and shuttered businesses. The storm’s path carries it past Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan and Dongguan, cities that together house tens of millions of residents. Local officials have mobilized tens of thousands of tents, folding beds, emergency lighting and other rescue supplies to cities across the province to support evacuees and responders during the worst of the event.

The storm’s impact has forced disruption across the region, with transportation networks affected and power utilities braced for outages. In addition to evacuations, authorities warned residents to secure their homes, prepare for possible cutoffs in water and electricity, and heed guidance from local emergency management offices.

Ragasa formed over the Western Pacific late last week and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 super typhoon, with sustained winds exceeding 260 kph (162 mph). It has since weakened to a Category 3 typhoon, a still-dangerous tier capable of downing trees, snapping power lines, shattering windows and damaging buildings. Meteorologists said the lingering effects could include treacherous surf, shifting rainfall patterns and power disruptions across southern China for hours to days.

Officials in Taiwan and Hong Kong were left to assess the damage as Ragasa’s outer bands continued to feed heavy rain and strong winds into coastal cities. Officials in Guangdong stressed that the evacuation orders were issued to minimize risk as the storm’s core tracked toward the province’s coast, and urged residents in low-lying areas and near rivers to seek higher ground or shelter in designated facilities.

The broader regional picture remains one of a string of intense storms affecting East and Southeast Asia this year. Disaster response authorities have emphasized the importance of timely evacuations, strong shelters, and continual weather updates as Ragasa approaches landfall. Close monitoring of the storm’s track and intensity will continue through the night, with authorities ready to adjust advisories as conditions evolve.

As authorities issued warnings for Guangdong’s coastal counties, rains began to intensify in some inland areas as Ragasa’s outer rainbands extended over the South China Sea and into adjacent provinces. Residents prepared emergency kits, secured loose objects, and checked drainage systems in anticipation of flooding and potential landslides in hilly terrain.

Ragasa’s trajectory and the scale of evacuations underscore the ongoing vulnerability of coastal populations to fast-moving, high-intensity tropical cyclones in this region. Emergency management officials reiterated that the situation remains fluid and advised residents to stay tuned for further official updates and instructions as the storm makes landfall and moves inland.