Hong Kong stares at super typhoon Ragasa, strongest of the year so far

Hong Kong ground to a halt on Tuesday as Super Typhoon Ragasa — the most powerful tropical storm of 2025 — barrelled towards the city, forcing authorities to issue high-level alerts and suspend most flights until Thursday. Officials urged residents to remain indoors, warning of life-threatening winds and storm surges.

Panic buying swept through supermarkets, with shelves stripped of essentials as residents prepared for two days of potential shutdowns. Across the territory, windows in homes and businesses were reinforced with tape in the hope of reducing damage if glass shattered under the force of the winds.

According to the Hong Kong Observatory, Ragasa was carrying sustained winds of up to 220 km/h (137 mph) and posed a “severe threat to the coast of Guangdong,” the southern Chinese province neighbouring the city. The typhoon was expected to retain its super typhoon status as it tracked across the South China Sea after lashing the northern Philippines on Monday. Taiwan and mainland China were also bracing for impact.

At 2.20 pm local time, the Observatory hoisted Signal No. 8 — its third-highest warning — requiring most businesses and transport to shut down. More than 700 flights were cancelled or rescheduled, including in Macau and Taiwan. Officials warned that conditions would deteriorate sharply through Tuesday evening, with the possibility of even higher warning signals later in the night or on Wednesday morning.

Heavy rainfall, destructive winds offshore and in elevated areas, and dangerous storm surges were expected. Authorities cautioned that sea levels could rise to levels comparable to typhoons Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018 — disasters that caused billions in damage.

Water was forecast to rise about two metres (six feet) along coastal areas, with maximum levels of four to five metres (12–15 feet) in some districts. Sandbags were distributed to residents in low-lying neighbourhoods, while many rushed to stockpile food and supplies.

One 35-year-old resident, surnamed Mak, told Reuters he had already done part of his shopping but intended to buy more. “We shut the windows and doors closely at home and checked if there is leaking,” he explained, adding that he was preparing his flat for the storm.

While most businesses closed their doors, some attempted to make light of the disruption. A bar on Lantau Island offered a 20 per cent discount on drinks throughout the T8 signal, hoping to attract residents working from home. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange confirmed it would stay open — a policy change introduced last year to ensure uninterrupted trading regardless of weather conditions.

At its peak on Monday, Ragasa had sustained winds near its eye of 260 km/h (162 mph), qualifying it as a Category 5 cyclone and the strongest worldwide so far this year. It has since weakened slightly to a Category 4 storm but remains capable of inflicting catastrophic damage along China’s crowded southern coastline.

Authorities in Guangdong activated flood-control measures across multiple cities, warning of torrents of rain and dangerous waves from late Tuesday. More than 10 cities — including Shenzhen, China’s technology hub, and Zhuhai on the coast — shut schools, workplaces and transport networks. The National Marine Environmental Forecasting Centre warned of seas as high as seven metres (21 feet).

In Shenzhen, more than 800 emergency shelters were readied. Municipal workers in Nanshan district were out with chainsaws, cutting down large tree branches to minimise hazards. “It’s just the bigger ones where there’s a risk. We’ll be out all afternoon all over the district,” said a worker surnamed Zhang, standing beside piles of felled timber along a cordoned-off street.

Macau also prepared for the worst. Authorities there ordered all casinos to close by 5.00 pm local time as the territory raised its warning signal to 8.

Taiwan, which endured the storm earlier, recorded almost 60 cm (24 inches) of rainfall in mountainous regions in the east. The island reported 25 people injured and continued to grapple with widespread disruption: 273 flights were cancelled on Tuesday, the second consecutive day of transport chaos.

With agency inputs