Typhoon Ragasa Makes Landfall; Opong Intensifies

Two major tropical systems are affecting the Western Pacific: Severe Tropical Storm Opong (Bualoi) is intensifying and forecast to become a typhoon by early Sept. 25, while Typhoon Ragasa — which earlier reached Category 5 strength — made landfall in southern China on Sept. 24 after battering the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Ragasa struck Hailing Island in Yangjiang with reported central winds around 40 m/s at landfall and earlier peaks up to 52 m/s, and produced record gusts near 241 km/h at Chuandao and huge waves in Hong Kong. The storms have caused significant loss and displacement — reports cite about 17 deaths in Taiwan and roughly 10 fatalities in the Philippines, and nearly 1.9–2 million people were relocated in Guangdong — and schools, transport and work were suspended with hundreds of flights cancelled. Chinese authorities mobilized 150 million yuan in emergency funding, raised high-level alerts and carried out massive evacuations while officials cautioned that tracks may still shift and urged residents to heed warnings. Opong’s sustained winds were reported near 100 km/h with gusts up to 125 km/h as it tracks toward Bicol and Southern Luzon, where heavy rain, storm surge and landslides remain possible.