Super Typhoon Ragasa Threatens Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong with Evacuations, Flight Suspensions

Super Typhoon Ragasa, the 18th typhoon of the year, is intensifying rapidly and is expected to bring severe weather conditions to southern China, including Guangdong and Shenzhen, as well as Hong Kong and parts of the Philippines. The Hong Kong Observatory has issued a Signal No. 8 warning, indicating gale to storm-force winds, with hurricane-force gusts possible offshore and on high ground, alongside heavy rain and high seas. Authorities in Guangdong and Shenzhen are taking extensive precautions, including relocating approximately 400,000 people from vulnerable areas and implementing widespread closures of schools, businesses, and transport. Hong Kong International Airport will suspend passenger flights for 36 hours starting Tuesday evening, reflecting the seriousness of the approaching storm. Ragasa is forecast to move west-northwest, making landfall along coastal areas of Guangdong and Hainan, with expected wind speeds up to 200 km/h and heavy rainfall reaching up to 280mm in some provinces. The storm is also projected to impact Vietnam as it moves into the Gulf of Tonkin, although it will gradually weaken after landfall.