Super Typhoon Ragasa Prompts Evacuations in Philippines

Manila, Sep 22 (AP) Thousands of residents in northern Philippine villages have been evacuated, with schools and offices shuttered on Monday, as Super Typhoon Ragasa threatens severe flooding and landslides while advancing towards southeastern China. Neighboring Taiwan has taken similar precautions.

Super Typhoon Ragasa, with sustained winds reaching 215 kilometers per hour (134 miles per hour) and gusts up to 265 kmph (165 mph), was positioned east of Calayan island in Cagayan province, according to Philippine meteorologists. It is moving westward at 20 kmph (12 mph), potentially passing near or making landfall at Cagayan's Babuyan islands by midday or early afternoon.

The Philippines' weather agency has issued warnings of imminent coastal inundation, highlighting a "high risk of life-threatening storm surge" with heights exceeding 3 meters (almost 10 feet) within 24 hours for the northern provinces of Cagayan, Batanes, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur.

Power outages have been reported on Calayan island and throughout the northern mountain province of Apayao, located west of Cagayan, though no immediate reports of casualties or additional damage have surfaced from Ragasa, locally named Nando.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. enforced the suspension of government operations and educational activities in the capital region and 29 provinces across northern Luzon on Monday. Over 8,200 individuals have sought safety in evacuation centers in Cagayan, while 1,220 have relocated to shelters in Apayao due to the risk of flash floods and landslides. Several domestic flights in typhoon-affected northern provinces have been grounded, while fishing vessels and inter-island ferries remain anchored due to treacherous seas.

Ragasa, the 14th storm to strike the Philippines this year, arrives amid ongoing investigations by authorities and congressional bodies into a corruption scandal involving suspected kickbacks linked to substandard or non-existent flood control endeavors.

The typhoon is anticipated to linger in the South China Sea at least until Wednesday, trajectory southward of Taiwan and Hong Kong, before impacting China’s mainland. In Taiwan, the southern counties of Taitung and Pingtung have called for closures in some coastal and mountainous areas, alongside the outer Orchid and Green islands.

Ragasa's path is projected to pass south of Hong Kong and Macao. As a precaution, some Hong Kong residents have begun stockpiling extra provisions. The government has doubled the typical allocation of sandbags for flood-vulnerable areas, while Macao law enforcement has advised residents of low-lying zones to prepare for potential evacuations.

Heavy rains and strong winds from Ragasa are expected to reach China's coastal regions by Tuesday. Cities in the southern Guangdong province, such as Jiangmen, Yangjiang, Zhongshan, and Zhuhai, have ordered the suspension of educational institutions, businesses, factories, and public transport. According to China's weather agency, the typhoon could potentially make landfall in Guangdong multiple times. Authorities urge residents to stockpile vital supplies, fortify doors and windows, and evacuate susceptible underground areas. (AP) SKS SKS

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