Hong Kong is preparing for hurricane-force winds from Super Typhoon Ragasa as southern China braces for heavy flooding.
A super typhoon, which caused thousands of people to evacuate from northern Philippine villages, is now heading towards Hong Kong, southern mainland China, and Taiwan. In Hong Kong, officials have warned of a “serious threat” from Super Typhoon Ragasa, comparing the risk to some of the most destructive storms in the city’s recent history.
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“Ragasa will pose a serious threat to Hong Kong, reaching levels of Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018,” said Hong Kong’s second-highest official Eric Chan on Monday. The super typhoon was generating winds with maximum sustained speeds of 220 kilometres per hour (137 mph) as it churned over the South China Sea early on Tuesday, according to Hong Kong’s weather service.
Hong Kong’s airport will remain open, but there will be “significant disruption to flight operations” from 6pm (10:00 GMT) on Tuesday until the next day, according to the airport authority. More than 500 Cathay Pacific flights are expected to be cancelled.
In Taiwan, the state weather service predicted “extremely torrential rain” in the eastern parts of the country. Shenzhen, a southern Chinese tech hub, plans to evacuate about 400,000 people, including residents living in low-lying and flood-prone areas, as Shenzhen’s airport said it will halt flights from Tuesday night.
China’s National Meteorological Centre forecasts that Typhoon Ragasa will make landfall in coastal areas between Shenzhen city and Xuwen county in Guangdong province on Wednesday.
Protests over non-existent flood controls in Philippines
Ragasa, known locally as Nando, forced the evacuation of several villages in northern Philippines on Monday, a day after thousands of people protested alleged corruption over non-existent flood control projects. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended government work and all classes in the capital, Manila, and 29 provinces in the main northern Luzon region.
Power was knocked out in Calayan Island and the entire northern mountain province of Apayao. More than 8,200 people were evacuated to safety in Cagayan province, while 1,220 fled to emergency shelters in Apayao, which is prone to flash floods and landslides.
Scientists warn that climate change is making tropical storms more intense, causing stronger winds and more flooding. Super Typhoon Ragasa is the 14th weather disturbance to affect the Philippines this year, amid an ongoing investigation into a corruption scandal involving an estimated 118.5 billion pesos ($2bn) in flood control projects.
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“Ragasa will pose a serious threat to Hong Kong, reaching levels of Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018,” said Hong Kong’s second-highest official Eric Chan on Monday. The super typhoon was generating winds with maximum sustained speeds of 220 kilometres per hour (137 mph) as it churned over the South China Sea early on Tuesday, according to Hong Kong’s weather service.
Hong Kong’s airport will remain open, but there will be “significant disruption to flight operations” from 6pm (10:00 GMT) on Tuesday until the next day, according to the airport authority. More than 500 Cathay Pacific flights are expected to be cancelled.
In Taiwan, the state weather service predicted “extremely torrential rain” in the eastern parts of the country. Shenzhen, a southern Chinese tech hub, plans to evacuate about 400,000 people, including residents living in low-lying and flood-prone areas, as Shenzhen’s airport said it will halt flights from Tuesday night.
China’s National Meteorological Centre forecasts that Typhoon Ragasa will make landfall in coastal areas between Shenzhen city and Xuwen county in Guangdong province on Wednesday.
Protests over non-existent flood controls in Philippines
Ragasa, known locally as Nando, forced the evacuation of several villages in northern Philippines on Monday, a day after thousands of people protested alleged corruption over non-existent flood control projects. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended government work and all classes in the capital, Manila, and 29 provinces in the main northern Luzon region.
Power was knocked out in Calayan Island and the entire northern mountain province of Apayao. More than 8,200 people were evacuated to safety in Cagayan province, while 1,220 fled to emergency shelters in Apayao, which is prone to flash floods and landslides.
Scientists warn that climate change is making tropical storms more intense, causing stronger winds and more flooding. Super Typhoon Ragasa is the 14th weather disturbance to affect the Philippines this year, amid an ongoing investigation into a corruption scandal involving an estimated 118.5 billion pesos ($2bn) in flood control projects.
