Ragasa Brings Destruction to the Philippines and Forces Closures Across Hong Kong, Macau, and Southern China

A Super Typhoon on the Move

The world’s strongest storm of the year has ripped through the northern Philippines and is now moving across the South China Sea toward southern China. Super Typhoon Ragasa, called Nando locally, made landfall on Monday with winds stronger than 260 kilometers per hour. By the time it left Luzon behind, villages were flooded, roofs were torn away, and hillsides had collapsed in landslides.

In Cagayan province, waves overturned a fishing boat sheltering from the storm. Three people died, six were rescued, and four remain missing. On Calayan Island, homes were flattened and boats washed inland. A landslide in Benguet killed one person and left others injured. The Philippine disaster council reported more than 24,000 people evacuated across northern and central Luzon. “Among the most affected are the farmers, including my parents," said Cagayan resident Orlando Bartolome Labio. “It’s a very sad event."

Hong Kong Prepares for Impact

Ragasa weakened slightly after leaving the Philippines but is still carrying the punch of a Category 4 typhoon. The Hong Kong Observatory raised Signal No. 8 on Tuesday afternoon, one of its highest warnings. Officials warned of storm surges as high as five meters along coastal areas. Residents rushed to supermarkets, emptied shelves, taped up windows, and stacked sandbags outside homes.

Some went to the shorelines to watch waves crash over sea walls. In Chai Wan, a boy, his father, and a woman were swept into the harbor by towering surf. All three were rescued and taken to hospital.

Flights in and out of Hong Kong ground to a halt. Cathay Pacific canceled more than 500 flights, while Hong Kong Airlines canceled over 100. In all, more than 700 flights were disrupted across the region, with Shenzhen and Macau airports also shutting down. Public transport across Hong Kong is heavily restricted, and the government has urged people to stay indoors.

Southern China Braces

Guangdong province is directly in Ragasa’s path. Authorities have already relocated over a million residents, with Shenzhen alone preparing hundreds of shelters. Schools, factories, and businesses are closed in major cities including Guangzhou, Zhuhai, and Foshan. Coastal bridges, including the mega bridge linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau, have also been shut down.

The National Meteorological Center expects Ragasa to make landfall between Zhuhai and Zhanjiang on Wednesday, bringing hurricane-force winds, torrential rain, and storm surges across a densely populated coastline.

Taiwan Hit by Outer Bands

Taiwan escaped a direct hit, but Ragasa’s massive size ensured damage there too. Mountains in the east saw nearly 60 centimeters of rain. Floodwaters swept through Guangfu Township in Hualien County, killing two people. By Tuesday morning, 28 people were reported injured and 30 missing.

Flights were canceled, trains halted, and coastal towns battered by waves as the storm’s outer bands moved north.

The Storm’s Next Steps

Ragasa is expected to remain a dangerous storm as it pushes into Guangdong late Wednesday. With sustained winds still near 220 kilometers per hour and seas surging up to seven meters offshore, tens of millions of people across Hong Kong, Macau, and southern China are bracing for one of the most powerful typhoons in recent years.