Posted: Tuesday, September 23, 2025. 1:21 pm CST.
By Zoila Palma: The strongest storm of the year, Typhoon Ragasa—known locally in the Philippines as Nando—has made landfall in northern Cagayan province, bringing destructive winds exceeding 267 kph (165 mph) and torrential rain.
Officials issued the highest tropical cyclone warning for the northern Babuyan Islands and evacuated over 10,000 residents in northern and central Luzon, CNN reports.
Government offices and schools were closed in Metro Manila and 29 provinces in Luzon, while hospitals and emergency services in affected areas were put on alert.
Ragasa’s outer bands are expected to produce flooding, landslides, and waves exceeding three meters along coastal areas.
The storm is forecast to continue westward, threatening major cities in Hong Kong, Macau, and China’s Guangdong province.
Taiwan has issued land and sea warnings, suspended some ferry services, and placed hundreds of residents on evacuation standby.
In China, officials plan to relocate roughly 400,000 people from low-lying and coastal areas of Shenzhen, while trains in Guangdong province will gradually be suspended.
Preparations in Hong Kong include school closures, canceled flights, suspended services on the mega bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai, and emergency crews on full alert.
Meteorologists warn that Ragasa’s rapid intensification is fueled by record-warm ocean temperatures, a consequence of the human-caused climate crisis.
The storm has undergone an eyewall replacement cycle, a process that enlarges the storm’s wind field and strengthens its core, making it increasingly dangerous.
PAGASA cautioned that northern Luzon could receive rainfall totals exceeding 400 mm (15 inches), while destructive wind gusts may reach 315 kph (195 mph) in exposed areas. Residents were urged to heed evacuation warnings to protect lives.
The western Pacific is the world’s most active tropical basin, and September is typically its busiest month.
Experts say climate change is amplifying storm intensity, making typhoons like Ragasa increasingly unpredictable and destructive.
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The post Strongest storm of the year, Typhoon Ragasa, strikes Northern Philippines, threatens Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southern China appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Tuesday, September 23, 2025. 1:21 pm CST. By Zoila Palma: The strongest storm of the year, Typhoon Ragasa—known locally in the Philippines as Nando—has made
The post Strongest storm of the year, Typhoon Ragasa, strikes Northern Philippines, threatens Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southern China appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.