China readies to evacuate 400,000 as super typhoon hits Philippines

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Manila: The Chinese city of Shenzhen is beginning preparations to evacuate 400,000 residents, while those in northern Philippines seek shelter from powerful winds as Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches southern China. The storm made landfall on Calayan Island in the Philippines’ Babuyan Islands at 3 p.m. local time (7 a.m. GMT), according to Philippine weather authorities.

By 2 p.m. (6 a.m. GMT), maximum sustained winds at the storm’s center reached 215 km/h, with gusts topping 295 km/h, said the national weather service. Tirso Tugagao, a resident of Aparri, a coastal town in northern Cagayan province, reported waking up to fierce winds pounding the windows, likening the noise to a running machine.

Cagayan disaster head Rueli Rapsing told AFP that his team was on high alert for the worst-case scenario. Over 10,000 Filipinos have been evacuated across the country, with schools and government offices closed in Manila and 29 other provinces.

In Shenzhen, authorities announced a large-scale evacuation plan for hundreds of thousands in coastal and low-lying areas. Multiple cities in Guangdong province canceled classes and work, and halted public transport due to the typhoon. Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific expects to cancel more than 500 flights as Ragasa threatens the financial hub. The airline’s spokeswoman said flights in and out of Hong Kong International Airport will cease from 6 p.m. Tuesday, resuming midday Thursday.

In Taiwan, a weather forecast predicts “extremely torrential rain” in eastern regions. The storm’s large radius, approximately 320 km, means its expansive and potent wind field is already impacting parts of Taiwan, despite the storm still being some distance away. Firefighters in Pingtung are evacuating mountainous communities amid fears of damage similar to Typhoon Koinu two years ago, which caused utility poles to topple and roofs to be torn off.

Philippine weather officials warn of severe flooding and landslides in northern Luzon. Ragasa’s flooding threat follows protests by thousands of Filipinos over corruption scandals involving shoddy or incomplete flood control projects. The Philippines, vulnerable to about 20 storms annually, faces ongoing risks of disasters in a nation where many live in poverty. Climate scientists caution that climate change is amplifying storm strength globally.