Super Typhoon Ragasa unleashed its fury on the northeastern Philippines this Monday, packing winds as powerful as a Category 5 hurricane. This massive storm triggered widespread evacuations, shut down schools, and led to hundreds of flight cancellations across the region as it advanced directly towards Hong Kong and mainland China.
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii, Ragasa maintained sustained wind speeds of 160 miles per hour. Forecasters predicted the typhoon would sweep across Luzon, the Philippines’ primary island, where officials issued dire warnings of potentially “life-threatening conditions.”
The Philippine weather bureau issued alerts for extensive flooding and landslides, anticipating over 8 inches of rain in the northern provinces. On Monday alone, more than 10,000 residents were evacuated, and schools and government offices in the capital city of Manila and surrounding areas remained closed.
The typhoon’s projected path indicated a westward movement, skirting south of Taiwan before making landfall in Hong Kong by Wednesday. Adjacent Guangdong Province in southern China was also on high alert, preparing for significant damage.
In Taiwan, the fire agency confirmed the evacuation of approximately 3,500 individuals from the eastern and southern parts of the island. The government also temporarily shut down several national parks and urged hikers to vacate the affected zones for their safety.
An interactive map visually tracks Super Typhoon Ragasa’s current position and projected path, indicating areas at risk of damaging winds across the Western Pacific, including the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. It shows predicted intensity changes over several days.
Cathay Pacific announced the cancellation of over 500 flights, including all inbound and outbound services at Hong Kong International Airport, effective from 6 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Thursday local time.
Despite the widespread cancellations, Hong Kong’s airport authority declared late Monday that all three runways would remain open and fully operational throughout the typhoon. They assured travelers that dedicated rest areas would be provided for stranded passengers, complete with complimentary snacks, water, and blankets. Additionally, some airport restaurants and shops would maintain 24-hour service.
Hong Kong’s education department confirmed that all schools would be closed on both Tuesday and Wednesday in anticipation of the storm’s arrival.
Across the border in Shenzhen, Chinese authorities announced plans to evacuate 400,000 residents from areas susceptible to flooding and urged everyone to accumulate emergency food supplies. Meanwhile, rail services in Guangdong Province were scheduled for partial reduction by Tuesday afternoon, with a complete suspension expected by Wednesday.
Additional reporting for this story was provided by Aie Balagtas See from Manila.