Thousands of people have been evacuated in the Philippines as the country prepares for a potentially catastrophic super typhoon. Super typhoon Ragasa, with wind gusts reaching up to 230 km/h (143 mph), is expected to make landfall over sparsely populated northern islands on Monday before moving west towards southern China. The Philippine weather bureau has warned of a “high risk of life-threatening storm surge” with peak heights exceeding 3 meters (10 feet). Schools and government offices in large parts of the country, including the capital Manila, have been closed, and authorities have warned of widespread flooding, landslides, and damage to homes and infrastructure.
The remote Batanes or Babuyan islands, where Ragasa is forecasted to make landfall, are home to about 20,000 people who predominantly live in poverty. Nearly 300 people have been evacuated from Hualien, a county in eastern Taiwan, as Ragasa is expected to bring heavy rains to the island’s east coast. Forest areas and nature trails have been closed, and some ferry services have been suspended. Ragasa is equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane.
Authorities in China’s Guangdong province have advised residents to prepare for a catastrophic and large-scale disaster. Heavy rains and strong winds are expected to be felt as early as Tuesday, two days before the storm is expected to make landfall. In Hong Kong, authorities have stated that the weather will rapidly deteriorate on Tuesday, while the education bureau is considering school arrangements.
Ragasa, known locally as Nando, comes at a time when the Philippines is already grappling with weeks of widespread flooding caused by an unusually intense monsoon. Tens of thousands of people protested across the country on Sunday against government corruption, which has been blamed for the lack of flood control infrastructure.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge223y2e9eo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
