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Hundreds of thousands of people have been moved to safety as Super Typhoon Ragasa, the most powerful tropical cyclone of 2025, bears down on southern China. The BBC reported that more than 770,000 people had been evacuated from Guangdong and neighbouring provinces, with Chinese authorities saying the figure could rise to over one million before landfall.
The storm, dubbed the “King of Storms” by China’s meteorological agency, is expected to strike the Guangdong coastline on Wednesday. Forecasts warn of waves up to seven metres high and severe coastal flooding.
Hong Kong in lockdown
In Hong Kong, the Observatory issued a No 8 storm warning, noting conditions would worsen “rapidly” overnight, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. Officials cancelled more than 700 flights, with Cathay Pacific suspending 500 services and Hong Kong Airlines grounding all departures. The Airport Authority said “significant disruption to flight operations” would continue into Wednesday.
Schools closed on Tuesday, public transport thinned, and supermarkets saw shelves cleared as residents rushed to stockpile food and water. “Ragasa will pose a serious threat,” Eric Chan, Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary for Administration, told reporters, comparing the storm to Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, which left widespread damage and hundreds injured.
City streets deserted, shelters filled
Local media reported near-empty roads, long queues outside shelters, and residents boarding up windows. Some high-rise buildings swayed in the winds, according to the SCMP.
Temporary shelters quickly filled as authorities advised people to stay indoors and avoid seafront areas.
Impact across the region
The BBC said Ragasa had already swept across Taiwan, injuring at least six people and forcing the cancellation of more than 100 international flights. In the Philippines, one person died and more than 10,000 people were displaced earlier this week as the typhoon passed through.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii estimated Ragasa had earlier produced wind gusts of up to 285 km/h, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. Winds over Hong Kong were still expected to exceed 220 km/h as the eye skirted the territory.
Climate concerns
While the direct role of climate change in this storm is uncertain, experts told the BBC that warming seas are expected to make tropical cyclones stronger and wetter on average. “Every tenth of a degree adds more energy to storms like Ragasa,” one climatologist said.
Warnings may be raised further
Hong Kong officials said they might raise the warning signal overnight, with the storm expected to pass closest to the city between late Tuesday and early Wednesday.
“People should take this very seriously,” said a senior forecaster at the Observatory. “Ragasa is not only the strongest storm this year but one of the most dangerous in recent memory.”
