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Residents and officials in southern China are bracing for the full force of Super Typhoon Ragasa, the most powerful typhoon to hit the region in recent years.
Before midday on Wednesday, the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong was starting to see the full effects of Ragasa as the typhoon moved closer to making landfall, according to the National Meteorological Centre. Wind speeds of 212km per hour were recorded in the city of Zhuhai.
Guangdong province upgraded its typhoon alert to Level 1, the highest in a four-tier warning system, as officials declared a “combat-ready” status on Tuesday.
The National Meteorological Centre said that in addition to high winds, rain between 25cm to 45cm (9 to 17 inches) and waves as high as 7 metres (23 feet) were expected.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall between Taishan and Xuwen county in western Guangdong on Wednesday afternoon or evening, and heavy rainfall and wind will continue through Thursday, according to Guangdong’s weather forecaster.
More than 371,000 people have been evacuated across the province while helicopters and drones, 23 ships and 38,000 firefighters remain on standby.
Southern China braces for Super Typhoon Ragasa
Southern China braces for Super Typhoon Ragasa
In Guangdong, over 10 cities announced schools, businesses, markets and transport closures, affecting tens of millions of people.
By midday on Tuesday, the southern tech hub of Shenzhen had cancelled 210 departing flights and 319 incoming flights. All buses, taxis, subways and highways were closed by Tuesday evening.
Residents have been stockpiling food, water and even portable phone batteries for the past two days. Businesses have taped their windows, tied down rubbish bins and outdoor chairs, while local governments trimmed trees and checked underground passageways, construction sites and mountainous regions for safety hazards.
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