President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered the Philippines' disaster response agency to go on full alert and mobilise all government agencies as Super Typhoon Ragasa made landfall in the north of the country. Storm alerts were also raised across East and Southeast Asia.
The state weather agency reported Ragasa carrying winds of 215 kph (134 mph) with gusts up to 295 kph (183 mph). Landfall occurred in Calayan Island, Cagayan province, raising the risk of storm surges exceeding three metres (nine feet). The Babuyan Islands remained under a high-level storm warning signal, with residents advised to avoid coastal areas and riverbanks.
Disaster agency footage showed northern Cagayan province facing fierce winds and heavy rainfall, with strong waves and trees swaying violently. Work and classes were suspended across Metro Manila and much of Luzon as outer rainbands reached the region. Officials warned of power outages, landslides, flooding, and unsafe sea conditions.
Airlines cancelled more than two dozen domestic flights, mostly from Luzon's main hubs, while ports halted ferry operations.
In Taiwan, Ragasa's outer bands were not expected to bring a direct hit, but heavy rainfall was forecast for the east coast. Authorities issued land and sea warnings, cancelled 146 domestic flights, and evacuated more than 900 people from mountainous areas in the south and east.
Vietnam's defence ministry ordered its forces to monitor the storm and prepare for potential landfall later this week. Chinese authorities activated flood control measures in several southern provinces, warning of heavy rainfall starting Tuesday night.
In Hong Kong, the Airport Authority said operations would be scaled down. "Flight operations would be significantly reduced after 6 p.m. (1000 GMT) on Tuesday, and most flights will be affected on Wednesday," said Yeung Tat-wing, director of service delivery. Cathay Pacific announced the cancellation of around 500 flights. Macau and Zhuhai also prepared for the storm with school closures and evacuation measures.
Reuters reported that Hong Kong residents began stockpiling supplies on Monday morning. Long queues were observed at supermarkets, with some essentials such as milk sold out, while fresh market vegetable prices had tripled compared to normal.
Source: Reuters