MANILA: The Philippines has halted work and classes as Super Typhoon Ragasa makes its way across the northern part of the country, bringing with it destructive winds and torrential rain. The storm, which is expected to either hit or skirt the Babuyan Islands directly, has prompted authorities to issue the highest typhoon alert and evacuate residents from vulnerable, low-lying coastal areas.
Ragasa has sustained winds of up to 215 km/h and gusts reaching 295 km/h. While the storm is not expected to make a direct hit on Taiwan, its outer bands are already causing intense rainfall along the eastern coast, leading to land and sea warnings and flight cancellations.
The typhoon’s trajectory puts it on a collision course with southern China, with Hong Kong preparing for a powerful impact. Authorities in the financial hub are bracing for possible airport closures, and residents are being warned of potential power outages, landslides, and dangerous sea conditions.
In Shenzhen, authorities have ordered the evacuation of approximately 400,000 residents from low-lying areas. The disruptions have led to canceled flights and halted ferry services across the region, highlighting the significant challenges posed by natural disasters in this volatile area.