Nearly 1.9 million people across southern China’s Guangdong province have been evacuated as Super Typhoon Ragasa, the world’s most powerful storm of 2025, brings hurricane-force winds and torrential rains to one of the globe’s most densely populated coastal regions. The catastrophic typhoon has already claimed at least 17 lives in Taiwan and caused widespread destruction across the Philippines before making landfall in mainland China.
Key Highlights
- 1.9 million people evacuated from Guangdong province as authorities implement the highest emergency response level
- 17 confirmed deaths in Taiwan with dozens still missing after devastating floods from burst barrier lake
- Hurricane Signal No. 10Â issued in Hong Kong as winds reach 195 kilometers per hour near storm center
Super Typhoon Ragasa: Unprecedented Evacuation Scale Across Guangdong
Guangdong province’s emergency management department executed one of the largest peacetime evacuations in recent Chinese history as Super Typhoon Ragasa approached the Pearl River Delta region. The provincial government relocated over 1.04 million people by 5:30 PM Tuesday, with the total evacuation figure reaching 1.89 million by Wednesday as the storm intensified. This massive relocation effort encompassed major metropolitan areas including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Dongguan, which collectively house approximately 50 million residents.
Super Typhoon Ragasa has left at least 14 dead in Taiwan and brought Hong Kong to a standstill—flights canceled, city shut, flooding and hurricane-force winds. Millions in southern China are evacuating. Lord, protect all in harm’s way. pic.twitter.com/XQbHiDHLbd
— Fr. Chris Vorderbruggen (@FatherChrisVor1) September 24, 2025
- 38,000 firefighters placed on standby with over 5,700 fire trucks and 1,174 boats ready for emergency response
- 10,398 vessels returned to safe harbor, while 80,231 fishing boats secured in ports across the province
The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) implemented unprecedented safety measures by evacuating all 5,192 offshore personnel through 290 helicopter flights and 12 vessel trips, transitioning 31 offshore platforms to unmanned “typhoon-production mode.” Provincial authorities suspended operations across more than 10 cities, affecting tens of millions of people through coordinated shutdowns of schools, businesses, transportation systems, and public services.
Super Typhoon Ragasa: Taiwan Devastation from Barrier Lake Collapse
The catastrophic impact of Super Typhoon Ragasa became starkly evident in Taiwan’s eastern Hualien County, where a natural barrier lake formed by debris from a July landslide collapsed under the typhoon’s intense rainfall. Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation Center confirmed 17 fatalities and 17 people still missing as approximately 15.4 million tons of water—equivalent to 6,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools—surged through Guangfu Township.
- 68 million tons of water released from the collapsed natural dam, destroying bridges and submerging railway lines
- 8,000 villagers evacuated earlier in the week as authorities anticipated the typhoon’s approach
The Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare reported 34 additional injuries as rescue operations continued amid challenging conditions. Television footage captured residents climbing onto vehicles and buildings to await rescue as dark, muddy waters mixed with sand and sediment swept through the township, leaving roads clogged with thick layers of debris. Taiwan’s meteorological authorities had warned for weeks that the remote lake could overflow by October, but the typhoon’s torrential rains accelerated this timeline dramatically.
Super Typhoon Ragasa: Hong Kong and Macau Under Siege
Hong Kong Observatory issued Hurricane Signal No. 10, the territory’s highest typhoon warning level, as Super Typhoon Ragasa brought maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour near the storm’s center. The financial hub experienced its most severe weather conditions in recent years, with wind gusts reaching 168 kilometers per hour and storm surges exceeding 3 meters recorded across the city.
- 885 people sought refuge in temporary shelters across Hong Kong territory
- 90 people injured as fallen trees and debris caused widespread damage
Video footage from Hong Kong’s iconic harbor showed massive storm surges shattering glass doors of the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, with huge waves gushing into the luxury resort’s lobby. The neighboring gambling hub of Macau experienced waist-deep flooding throughout its densely populated streets, forcing authorities to shut off electricity in low-lying areas for safety. Both territories canceled hundreds of flights, suspended public transportation, and closed schools and businesses as the storm brought the region to a complete standstill.
Economic and Infrastructure Impact Assessment
The economic implications of Super Typhoon Ragasa’s impact on southern China are expected to be substantial, given the affected region’s role as a global manufacturing and technology center. Shenzhen Baoan International Airport alone canceled 529 flights by Tuesday noon, while authorities suspended all buses, taxis, subway services, and highways throughout the technology hub. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, a critical infrastructure link, closed operations alongside the suspension of 210 passenger ferry services across Guangdong province.
- 60,000 emergency supply items distributed by central authorities, including tents, folding beds, and emergency lighting
- 11,000 emergency response workers coordinated by transport authorities at provincial and prefecture levels
Supply chains experienced significant disruption as residents stockpiled essential goods, with online grocery platforms in Shenzhen reporting shortages of delivery workers and depleted inventories of basic items including bread and batteries. The storm’s timing coincided with astronomical high tides, potentially matching or exceeding the intensity of 2017’s devastating Typhoon Hato, which caused billions in damages and prompted major infrastructure upgrades across the region.
Climate Change and Future Preparedness
Super Typhoon Ragasa represents the ninth typhoon to affect Hong Kong in 2025, significantly exceeding the territory’s typical annual average of six storms and highlighting the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Atmospheric scientist Johnny Chan from the Asia-Pacific Typhoon Collaborative Research Centre attributes this escalation to global warming, which provides storms with more atmospheric moisture and higher water temperatures for enhanced energy development.
The National Meteorological Center of China maintained an orange alert—the second-highest in the country’s four-tier warning system—as meteorologists classified Super Typhoon Ragasa as potentially the most powerful typhoon to strike China this year. Climate experts warn that Asian cities must continually update building codes and infrastructure systems to handle stronger winds, higher sea levels, and more intense typhoons, as historical data becomes increasingly inadequate for future planning.
Closing Assessment
Super Typhoon Ragasa’s devastating impact across the western Pacific demonstrates both the increasing severity of climate-driven extreme weather events and the critical importance of comprehensive disaster preparedness systems. While the massive evacuation efforts in southern China prevented potentially catastrophic loss of life, the storm’s deadly toll in Taiwan and widespread infrastructure damage underscore ongoing vulnerabilities in the region’s most densely populated areas. As cleanup operations begin across the affected territories, the long-term implications for regional climate adaptation strategies and emergency response protocols will require careful evaluation to enhance future resilience against increasingly powerful typhoons.
