Super Typhoon Ragasa is now the fiercest cyclone to menace Asia since Typhoon Mangkhut laid waste to the region in 2018. Packing sustained winds exceeding 230 km/h โ with gusts peaking at 267 km/h โ it has intensified to the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane. Born east of the Philippines in mid-September, this monster storm has exploded in strength with terrifying speed, unleashing devastation, forcing mass evacuations, and triggering emergency responses across multiple nations.
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Impact Across Asia: The Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, & Beyond
Typhoon Ragasa made its first landfall on 22 September over Calayan Island in the northern Philippines โ unleashing violent winds and relentless downpours. More than 10,000 residents were moved to safety as authorities warned of life-threatening storm surges, flash floods, and landslides.
Though spared a direct hit, Taiwan faced the full force of Ragasaโs outer bands โ battling torrential rain and punishing gales. In response, officials shuttered national parks, halted ferry operations, and relocated residents from exposed coastal and mountain communities.
Hong Kong now lies squarely in the typhoonโs path. In just 24 hours, the Hong Kong Observatory escalated its alert from Standby Signal No. 1 to Strong Wind Signal No. 3. A T8 signal is expected by late Tuesday afternoon, with officials warning that Hurricane Signal No. 10 โ the highest possible โ may follow in the coming days. Schools have shut, non-essential hospital services paused, and over 100 households relocated from flood-prone zones like Tai O. Macau, too, is preparing for storm surges of up to five metres โ surpassing levels seen during Typhoons Hato and Mangkhut.
In southern mainland China, provinces including Guangdong have ordered school closures and suspended transport and business operations. Shenzhen alone is preparing to relocate approximately 400,000 people ahead of the stormโs arrival. Across the region, officials are urging the public to secure property and move away from at-risk areas โ as Ragasa looms, poised to unleash days of extreme weather, torrential rain, and potentially crippling disruption.
Storm Of The Year
Though forecast to weaken slightly during its eyewall replacement cycle, Ragasa remains a grave and formidable threat. Boasting some of the lowest atmospheric pressures recorded in recent years, this violently churning system reveals โ with chilling clarity โ how climate change is amplifying the fury of extreme weather. Storm surges, torrential rain, and battering winds now menace coastal and low-lying areas, with high risks of flooding, structural damage, and prolonged disruption to daily life and critical infrastructure.
Authorities across the region have initiated large-scale relocations, halted public transport and schooling, and deployed emergency response teams. Residents are being urgently advised to heed official guidance, stay alert, and brace for extended periods of isolation as the storm rages. Many have already stocked up on essentials, reinforced windows, and prepared to shelter in place โ waiting out the worst as Ragasa barrels through.
With its record-shattering intensity and sweeping regional impact, Super Typhoon Ragasa stands as one of Asiaโs most consequential weather events in decades โ a powerful wake-up call demanding greater investment in adaptive capacity, early-warning systems, and community preparedness as our climate grows ever more volatile.
Born in Korea and raised in Hong Kong, Min Ji has combined her degree in anthropology and creative writing with her passion for going on unsolicited tangents as an editor at Friday Club. In between watching an endless amount of movies, she enjoys trying new cocktails and pastas while occasionally snapping a few pictures.
