Typhoon Ragasa Strikes Southern China: A Community's Resilient Stand

Sun Oct 12 2025 01:43:23 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As Typhoon Ragasa makes landfall, the city of Zhuhai grapples with fierce winds and heavy rainfall. Authorities execute extensive evacuation plans while locals prepare to weather the storm.

The city of Zhuhai in southern China is currently experiencing devastating impacts from Typhoon Ragasa, which has brought 100 mph winds and heavy rainfall. In the storm's wake, at least 15 casualties have been reported in Taiwan. Residents have been evacuated as authorities issue alerts for potential landslides and severe weather conditions in the following days. Despite the chaos, locals remain calm and prepared, illustrating the community's resilience in the face of natural disasters.

The sound of rush hour in Zhuhai on China's southern coast has been replaced by howling winds and sheets of rain.

Branches from falling trees and what looked like pieces of metal from the edge of a building flew along empty roads as typhoon Ragasa bore down.

Police vehicles have been patrolling the streets with megaphones, urging people to stay inside - but it is difficult to hear them above gusts of 100 mph (160 km/h) winds. Still, the thundering skies and a drenched Zhuhai are enough of a warning – apart from an occasional cyclist, determined to get to work, most people heeded the advice, bringing this city of almost three million people to a standstill.

The strongest storm the world has seen this year, Ragasa has been making its way across the South China Sea after battering the Philippines and Taiwan. At least 15 people have died in eastern Taiwan after a mountain lake burst its banks.

As the storm brushed past Hong Kong, steep waves crashed into land, inundating coastal areas, alongside powerful winds and rain, leaving more than 60 people injured.

It made landfall in China this evening at 17:00 local time (09:00 GMT). By then nearly two million people in densely populated Guangdong province had already been evacuated. Officials have issued a red alert for high tides and coastal surges.

As the eye of the storm barrelled close to the mainland, the rain lashed the city's tall buildings. The wind, already strong, hit harder in waves and blasts, which made standing upright almost impossible. Even watching from inside, windows in our new hotel creaked under the strain.

This hotel is also hosting some evacuees from low-lying areas across this province. Families mill around with the few possessions they managed to grab, while their children dance through the hallways – perhaps just happy to have the day off school.

Zhuhai is a popular tourist spot, with golf resorts and theme parks. Perched on a delta where the Pearl River meets the South China Sea, it is used to typhoons and was prepared for this one.

Householders have been taping up their windows as businesses received sandbags to prevent coastal surges from seeping into their properties.

There has been no panic, just resignation. Neighborhood watch officers have been checking on residents and local shops to ensure compliance with evacuation orders. However, a few disgruntled individuals were reluctant to close their restaurants too early to avoid losing business.

Emergency services are on high alert, with hundreds of evacuation centers set up across the city. Police patrols began early to ensure no curious locals ventured too close to the waves. Locals, having experienced similar circumstances before, prepared for the storm.

Authorities in China are well-prepared for natural disasters, taking warnings seriously due to past criticisms of their response during emergencies. As Typhoon Ragasa continues to impact the region, alerts for heavy rain and landslides are still in effect, with residents vigilant despite the tumultuous weather.