One of the strongest storms to hit Asia in recent years, Super Typhoon Ragasa, known locally in the Philippines as Nando, has battered northern Philippine islands and is now closing in on southern China, triggering mass evacuations, flight cancellations, and widespread shutdowns.
Packing sustained winds of nearly 230 km/h (143 mph) near its centre, Ragasa has unleashed torrential rains, floods, and landslides across the Philippines. Authorities confirmed at least three fatalities, while thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate from vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas. Power outages, blocked roads, and suspension of ferry services have added to the disruption. Schools and government offices across affected provinces remain closed.
The storm is now churning across the northern South China Sea at about 22 km/h (14 mph) and is expected to make landfall along Guangdong’s coast, between Shenzhen and Xuwen County, within the next 24 hours.
China has stepped up emergency preparations. In Guangdong province, schools and businesses have been ordered shut, flights and trains suspended, and ports sealed off. Local governments have set up evacuation centres and distributed sandbags and barriers in flood-prone districts. Residents in coastal towns are stockpiling essentials in anticipation of the storm’s impact.
In Hong Kong, the observatory has issued a Tropical Cyclone Signal No.8, one of the city’s highest-level typhoon alerts, warning of fierce winds and heavy rain.
Ragasa’s intensity places it among the most powerful typhoons to strike the region in recent years, raising concerns over widespread flooding, potential storm surges, and extended infrastructure damage in both the Philippines and southern China.
As the typhoon continues its west-northwest trajectory, disaster response teams across Asia remain on high alert, with authorities urging residents to stay indoors and comply with safety advisories.
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