Super Typhoon Ragasa has prompted extensive evacuations in the Philippines as it approaches southeastern China, threatening severe flooding and landslides. Thousands have moved to safety from vulnerable northern villages, with forecasters indicating that this typhoon is one of the strongest to hit the region this year.
With sustained winds reaching 215 km/h and gusts up to 295 km/h, Ragasa made landfall on Panuitan Island in Cagayan Province on the afternoon of March 4, 2024. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) categorizes storms with winds of 185 km/h or higher as super typhoons, a designation that underscores the urgency of preparedness.
As Ragasa progresses westward, it is expected to remain in the South China Sea until at least Wednesday, passing south of Taiwan and Hong Kong before making landfall on the Chinese mainland. PAGASA has warned of a “high risk of life-threatening storm surge” along the northern coastal provinces of Cagayan, Batanes, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur, predicting peak surge heights exceeding three meters.
The typhoon has already caused power outages in Calayan Island and across the northern mountain province of Apayao. There have been no immediate reports of casualties, but the situation remains fluid as the storm continues to affect the region. In response, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended government work and classes in the capital and 29 provinces in northern Luzon.
Evacuation efforts have seen over 8,200 people relocated to safety in Cagayan, while 1,220 individuals sought refuge in emergency shelters in Apayao, an area particularly susceptible to flash floods and landslides. Domestic flights in the affected northern provinces were suspended, and fishing boats as well as inter-island ferries were barred from departing ports due to dangerous sea conditions.
As the typhoon approached, Taiwan’s southern counties, including Taitung and Pingtung, ordered closures in coastal and mountainous areas, affecting travel to outlying islands. Reports indicated that afternoon flights to these islands were cancelled, while Fujian Province in China suspended 50 ferry routes in anticipation of the storm’s impact.
In Shenzhen, a major city in southern China, officials are planning to relocate approximately 400,000 residents from low-lying and flood-prone areas. Shenzhen’s airport announced it would halt flights starting Tuesday night, as the National Meteorological Centre of China forecasted that Ragasa would make landfall in Guangdong Province between Shenzhen and Xuwen County on Wednesday.
The Communist Party chief in Guangdong, Huang Kunming, has urged local departments to minimize harm and enter an “emergency state.” Ragasa is projected to sweep south of Hong Kong and Macao, where all schools are set to close for two days. While Hong Kong’s airport is expected to remain operational, significant reductions in flight schedules are anticipated, with over 500 cancellations expected due to the storm’s approach.
As Ragasa brings torrential rains and strong winds to coastal areas of China, authorities remain vigilant, focusing on public safety and emergency preparedness as the situation develops.
