Typhoon Ragasa slams North Philippines, Taiwan on alert as storm heads for China

Northern Philippines reeled on Monday as Super Typhoon Ragasa , one of the year’s strongest storms, forced thousands into evacuation centers, shut schools and offices, and cut power across provinces. The typhoon also triggered precautionary closures in Taiwan and is forecast to barrel toward southern China later this week.

Packing sustained winds of 215 kmph (134 mph) and gusts up to 265 kmph (165 mph), Ragasa was tracked east of Calayan in Cagayan province, moving west at 20 kmph. Philippine forecasters warned of storm surges up to 3 meters (10 feet) along the coasts of Cagayan, Batanes, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur.

Electricity was knocked out across Calayan island and Apayao province, though no casualties were immediately reported. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended government work and classes in Manila and 29 Luzon provinces. More than 8,200 people fled homes in Cagayan, while 1,220 sought safety in Apayao. Domestic flights, ferries, and fishing boats were also halted due to dangerous seas.

Ragasa is the 14th tropical disturbance to strike the Philippines in 2025 . The last major typhoon was in August , when Typhoon Enteng battered central and northern Luzon, leaving widespread flooding and displacing tens of thousands. With Ragasa, communities already weary from repeated storms now face fresh threats of landslides and inundation, compounded by allegations of corruption in flood control projects currently under investigation in Congress.

Beyond the Philippines, southern Taiwan ordered precautionary closures in Taitung, Pingtung, and offshore islands. Hong Kong and Macao are bracing for heavy winds and flooding, with local governments urging residents to stockpile supplies and prepare for possible evacuations.

In China’s Guangdong province, authorities ordered shutdowns of schools, offices, factories, and transport in cities including Jiangmen, Yangjiang, Zhongshan, and Zhuhai. Meteorologists warned Ragasa could make multiple landfalls along Guangdong’s coast, bringing torrential rains and storm surges starting Tuesday.