On Monday, the Philippines halted work and classes across Metro Manila and much of the country due to Super Typhoon Ragasa’s approach toward northern Luzon, posing a threat with devastating winds and heavy rain.
Weather officials issued the highest typhoon alert for the Babuyan Islands, advising residents in low-lying and coastal areas to evacuate in advance of potential storm surges and flooding.
Ragasa, carrying maximum sustained winds of 205 kph (127 mph) and gusts reaching 250 kph, is predicted to land or pass near the Babuyan Islands around midday before moving across the Luzon Strait.
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Though Taiwan won’t face a direct hit, the typhoon’s outer band is expected to deliver heavy rain to the island’s less populated east coast. Taiwan has issued land and sea warnings and canceled flights to eastern cities, such as Taitung and Hualien.
The storm is projected to target Hong Kong as it advances toward southern China’s coast. The financial center has urged residents to brace for one of the most intense typhoons in years and is contemplating a 36-hour airport closure, according to Bloomberg News.
Philippine forecasters cautioned about possible widespread power outages, landslides, and hazardous seas as northern Luzon starts experiencing the storm’s outer impacts. Airlines have canceled over a dozen domestic flights, primarily on Luzon routes, and ports have suspended ferry operations.
