China has evacuated hundreds of thousands of people and ordered at least 10 cities to close schools and some businesses as the strongest storm of the year bears down on its southern coast.
Hong Kong has upgraded its typhoon warning to eight—just two levels below the maximum—ahead of the arrival of Super Typhoon Ragasa.
The storm is expected to make landfall in China’s Guangdong province on Wednesday, where some 370,000 people have been evacuated so far, as authorities warn of a 'catastrophic' situation.
Ragasa, dubbed the 'King of Storms' by China’s meteorological agency, is projected to move towards northern Vietnam in the coming days, potentially affecting millions.
On Tuesday, supermarket shelves in Hong Kong were wiped empty of fresh bread, vegetables, and meat as residents prepared to hunker down. Hong Kong International Airport expects 'significant disruption to flight operations' beginning on Tuesday evening.
In cities across southern China, shop owners piled sandbags in front of their stores in preparation for the arriving storm, while residents in low-lying areas expressed concern about tidal surges.
Super typhoon Ragasa, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane, packed wind gusts of up to 285km/h at its highest point earlier in the week. It has triggered warnings of floods, storm surges, and landslides across the region.
