Super Typhoon Ragasa slams Hong Kong; Schools, offices shut as China braces for landfall of storm that killed 17 in Taiwan, Philippines
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Super Typhoon Ragasa slams Hong Kong; Schools, offices shut as China braces for landfall of storm that killed 17 in Taiwan, Philippines")
A wave breaks against a lifeguard tower at a beach as Super Typhoon Ragasa moved past Hong Kong on September 24, 2025. Photograph: (AFP)
Super Typhoon Ragasa, which is the world's most powerful tropical cyclone this year, has prompted widespread closures and evacuations in Hong Kong and southern China. When will it make landfall? All you need to know.
Super Typhoon Ragasa is expected to make landfall in China on Wednesday (Sep 24). Ahead of this, already, Hong Kong and parts of southern China were on high alert as powerful winds and lashing rains forced Chinese authorities to shut down schools and businesses in at least 10 cities.
Which Areas of Hong Kong Are Most Affected by Typhoon Ragasa?
Ragasa, the world's most powerful tropical cyclone this year, as per Hong Kong's weather service, was generating maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometres (121 miles) per hour near its centre as it moved west across the South China Sea.
By nightfall Tuesday, enormous waves were already slamming the city's waterfront. In the Heng Fa Chuen residential district, waves nearly five meters high battered the promenade. Residents prepared for the worst. Talking to AFP, Terence Choi, a resident, revealed that he had stocked up on food and worried about losing power and water. In Lei Yue Mun, a low-lying fishing village long vulnerable to typhoons, 71-year-old Yang Lee-o recalled water reaching her thighs during a past storm. “Lei Yue Mun is the hardest hit whenever there's a typhoon or rainstorm,” she said as workers stacked sandbags.
Highest typhoon warning issued in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Observatory issued its highest warning signal, T10, at 2:40 am local time, cautioning that it would remain in effect "for some time" as the storm made its closest approach. Forecasters have warned of dangerous storm surges, with water levels in some areas expected to rise four to five meters above normal.
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
How Severe Is Typhoon Ragasa Compared to Past Typhoons?
Officials warned Ragasa could rival the devastating super typhoons of 2017 and 2018, which left hundreds of millions in property damage. Scientists say warming seas driven by climate change are fuelling stronger and more destructive storms in the region.
Safety Tips DuringTyphoonRagasa
Across the border in Guangdong province, authorities ordered sweeping precautions. In Shenzhen, China’s tech hub, 400,000 people were evacuated. Residents were urged to stay indoors unless part of an emergency or rescue team. Emergency management authorities in the Chinese tech hub said that except for emergency rescue personnel and those ensuring people's livelihood, "do not go out casually". In Zhuhai, shopkeepers taped windows and cleared streets of loose objects.
Flights, Ferries, and Public Transport Status
Flights were halted at Hong Kong International Airport after 1000 GMT, with Cathay Pacific announcing more than 500 cancellations.
Are schools closed today due to Typhoon Ragasa?
While schools were closed for two days, Hong Kong’s stock exchange, under new rules, kept trading open. Ragasa, whose name comes from the Filipino word for “rapid motion,” is expected to make landfall in Guangdong within the next few hours.
