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Which countries are in the path of Typhoon Ragasa?

Philippines

Ragasa first brushed the Philippines late on Monday night, 22 September, as it passed over the far north of Luzon. The Batanes and Babuyan Islands bore the brunt of typhoon-force winds and torrential rain, prompting PAGASA to raise its highest wind alerts. Basco airport grounded many flights, inter-island ferries were suspended, and evacuations were carried out in coastal villages vulnerable to storm surge. By early Tuesday, 23 September, the storm had exited the area, but it left behind an enhanced southwest monsoon that continues to bring heavy rains and flooding to Ilocos, Central Luzon and parts of the Visayas.

Taiwan

As Ragasa moved northwest, Taiwan’s eastern flank was lashed by destructive winds and rainfall. Hualien suffered catastrophic flooding after a barrier lake burst, washing out roads and inundating villages in the East Rift Valley. Landslides blocked the Suhua Highway and parts of the Taiwan Railways east coast line, stranding residents and travellers alike. Although the Central Weather Administration lifted the island’s land warning on Tuesday morning, 23 September, rescue and recovery operations continue in Hualien and Taitung. Taipei and the western cities of Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung escaped major damage but endured widespread flight cancellations at Taoyuan and Kaohsiung airports.

Hong Kong & Macau

Ragasa swept past the Pearl River Delta on Wednesday, 24 September, prompting the Hong Kong Observatory to issue its top-tier T10 signal overnight before lowering it later in the day. Hurricane-force gusts ripped through coastal districts, storm surge flooded parts of Kowloon and Heng Fa Chuen, and trees and scaffolding collapsed across the city. Public transport was suspended, with ferries stopping, most MTR lines halting above ground, and Light Rail services cancelled. Districts such as the Inner Harbour also experienced flooding.

China

The typhoon made landfall near Yangjiang, Guangdong, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 24 September, with maximum sustained winds of around 160 km/h at landfall. Authorities evacuated millions of residents from coastal and low-lying areas, suspended high-speed rail services across the province, and cancelled hundreds of flights at Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and nearby airports. Heavy rain and strong winds knocked out power, triggered flooding in urban districts, and raised the risk of landslides in hilly areas. Recovery and transport restart efforts are now under way but disruption is expected to last several days.

Vietnam and Laos

Although Ragasa is rapidly weakening over land, forecasters expect its remnant circulation and moisture to bring heavy rainfall to northern Vietnam and Laos from Thursday, 25 September into the weekend. Flooding and landslides are possible in mountainous regions such as Lao Cai and Dien Bien in Vietnam, and in Laos’ northern provinces bordering China. Travellers heading to Hanoi, Sapa or Luang Prabang should monitor advisories from local meteorological agencies and build extra flexibility into their itineraries.