Hong Kong Shuts Down as Super Typhoon Ragasa Approaches

HONG KONG; The city of Hong Kong came to a near standstill on Tuesday as Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest tropical cyclone in the world this year, bore down on southern China. Authorities urged residents to stay indoors, while most passenger flights were suspended until Thursday.

Panic buying swept across the financial hub, leaving supermarket shelves nearly empty as residents stocked up on food, water, and essentials. Many taped up their windows and reinforced homes to limit damage from possible shattered glass.

The Hong Kong Observatory said Ragasa, with sustained winds reaching 220 km/h, posed a “severe threat” to Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong. The storm, which battered the northern Philippines on Monday, is expected to maintain super typhoon strength as it moves toward the coasts of Hong Kong, mainland China, and Taiwan. Landfall is projected along Guangdong’s coast between Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Authorities in Guangdong have already evacuated more than 770,000 people, with the number expected to exceed one million. In Hong Kong, a signal 8 typhoon warning was issued at 2:20 pm, forcing businesses, schools, and transport services to shut down. More than 700 flights were disrupted across the region, including in Macau and Taiwan.

The observatory warned of hurricane-force winds, torrential rain, and dangerous storm surges that could raise sea levels by up to five metres in some areas—comparable to the devastation of Typhoon Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018, both of which caused billions in losses. Low-lying communities were provided with sandbags, while residents prepared emergency supplies.

In Shenzhen, authorities set up more than 800 emergency shelters and cleared roadside trees in anticipation of strong winds. Zhuhai and over 10 other Guangdong cities suspended schools, transport, and work to minimise risk. China’s Environmental Forecasting Centre cautioned that coastal waters could see waves as high as seven metres.

Meanwhile, in Macau, all casinos were ordered to close by 5 pm when the typhoon warning was raised. Taiwan reported nearly 60 cm of rain in its eastern mountains and 25 injuries, alongside mass flight cancellations.

Although Ragasa has weakened slightly from its Category 5 peak—when winds topped 260 km/h—it remains a dangerous Category 4 storm capable of causing severe destruction across southern China.