El Super Typhoon Ragasa, known locally as Nando, made landfall in the far north of Luzon with unusual intensity, forcing thousands of people to flee for cover. Philippine authorities confirmed that the impact occurred in the Cagayan province, with population centers on the Babuyan and Calayan islands among the most exposed.
According to the meteorological services, Ragasa arrived with Sustained winds of about 215 km/h and gusts exceeding 265 km/h, forcing the preemptive evacuation of at least 10.000 residents, the suspension of classes and the closure of government offices in more than 30 provinces, including MThe system entry occurred around 15:00 p.m. local time (07:00 a.m. GMT).
Ragasa, the most intense of the year in the region
Asian meteorological institutions have named Ragasa as the most powerful tropical storm of the year in the western Pacific basin. The cyclone is expected to move through the South China Sea over the next 72 hours, with a general westward track and slow weakening as it moves forward.
On the home front, the Philippine National Disaster Management Center reported the navigation ban in high-risk areas and the cancellation of more than a dozen domestic flights due to hazardous conditions. Authorities warn of potentially deadly storm surge, with heights that could exceed 3 meters in sections of the coast of Cagayan, Batanes and Ilocos.
The President's Office confirmed that public offices and schools will remain closed in parts of the north and center of the country for the duration of the storm. In parallel, emergency teams are reinforcing slopes, inspecting riverbeds, and setting up evacuation centers for minimize flooding and landslides.
Pagasa and other organizations insist on the danger of heavy rainfall on the slopes of the Cordillera Central, with the likelihood of flash floods. The archipelago faces an average of 20 tropical storms per year, and last year alone, six consecutive storms In less than a month, they left more than 160 dead and millions affected.
The eye of the typhoon: impact in Cagayan and Babuyan
The core of the cyclone crossed northern Luzon with a compact eye and intense rain bands, leaving destructive gusts in exposed areas. The municipalities of Cagayan and the Babuyan Archipelago reported damage in coastal infrastructure, fallen trees and occasional power outages.
Ragasa forced the activation of temporary shelters and the consolidation of an assistance corridor for rapid evacuations from low-lying areas. The combination of high waves, wind and rain The risk of rivers and streams overflowing continues, so rescue teams remain on high alert.
Local authorities insist on avoiding unnecessary travel and keeping people away from the coast. In mountainous areas, emergency services have reinforced the monitoring of unstable slopes in the event of landslides.
In addition to the closures in public administration, activities in fishing ports and regional maritime routes have been suspended. The priority, they emphasize, is protect lives and ensure that communications with the most remote islands remain operational.
Taiwan and southern China activate alerts
With the center of the system moving away from Luzon, Taiwán increased its alert levels, especially in the south and east of the island, where storms are expected heavy rains and strong windsPreemptive evacuations have been carried out in mountainous areas of Pingtung, and dozens of flights and ferry services have been canceled.
En Mainland China, several cities in Guangdong take early measures: Shenzhen plans to evacuate 400.000 people from coastal or low-lying areas, and nearby cities are implementing the so-called “five strikes” (classes, work, production, transportation, and commerce) depending on the evolution of the storm.
The Chinese National Meteorological Center forecasts that Ragasa will move into the northeast of the South China Sea before approaching the coast. Although it may lose some strength, it will still leave heavy rainfall and very intense gusts inland.
Vietnam, for its part, has ordered its forces and local authorities monitor the trajectory and prepare contingency plans in case the system hits, presumably weakened, at the end of the week.
Hong Kong and Shenzhen: flights canceled and evacuations
The international airport of Hong Kong prepares for strong disturbances: Cathay Pacific has announced the cancellation of more than 500 flights, and other airlines are adjusting operations to limited time slots, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers.
In the Pearl River Delta region, densely populated cities have begun to shield infrastructure, stockpile sandbags, and review drainage systems. The goal is to reduce the impact of storm surges and winds that could reach hurricane force along the coastline.
The authorities of Shenzhen They have detailed plans for mass evacuation and temporary closures of schools, offices, and transportation services in the coming days, awaiting the cyclone's closest approach to the metropolis.
In supermarkets in the area they have been observed procurement purchases and official recommendations for having water, non-perishable food, and flashlights available, as well as securing windows and removing loose objects from balconies and rooftops.
Ragasa has also revived the debate on extreme weather preparedness across the region. In the Philippines, the arrival of the super typhoon comes on the heels of protests against alleged ghost projects flood control, while experts remember that the country endures each year a high exposure to tropical cyclones. Early action, interagency coordination, and public information remain the most effective tools for limiting damage.
With the system still active over warm waters, priority is to safeguard the population, sustain essential services and facilitate an orderly return to normality, in an episode that exposes, once again, the vulnerability of the large cities and coastal communities from the western Pacific.
