As Super Typhoon Ragasa hurtled toward Hong Kong this week, authorities there were forced to raise the admonition level, echoing warnings of the storm’s shocking destructive force. Ragasa is currently producing 220-kilometer per hour (137-mile per hour) winds. Yet this unique, powerful storm presents a multifaceted threat to the great city of New Orleans. The Hong Kong Observatory classified the storm with a T8 warning, the third-highest level, indicating that it could cause extensive damage and severe storm surges.
Typhoon Meranti made landfall in the northern Philippines and southern Taiwan, bringing horrific devastation in its wake. Now, it’s on a collision course with Hong Kong. On September 22, it made landfall in the Cagayan province of the Philippines. This debilitating event displaced hundreds of families, seeking refuge inside schools and evacuation shelters. As the storm unfolds, emergency officials are preparing for substantial damage.
School Closures and Flight Cancellations
In preparation for the storm, Hong Kong on Monday suspended classes for Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s a move designed, first and foremost, to protect students as officials continue to #RaiseTheLevel in anticipation of the worst case.
Also, all horse-racing events on Wednesday have been called by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. The airport remains open. It will experience “significant disruption to flight operations” beginning at 6:00 PM local time on Tuesday. More than 500 flights operated by Cathay Pacific were scheduled to be canceled as the super typhoon approached.
“We had to book a new hotel here, which also costs us some money so we are kind of really disappointed,” – An AFP interviewee who was affected by flight cancellations.
The Hong Kong Observatory is cautioning citizens that conditions will deteriorate sharply later this afternoon. Get ready for some rapidly increasing gusty winds! In response, they called on residents to shelter in place, avoid traveling during emergency repairs.
Warnings and Evacuations
Eric Chan, Hong Kong’s second-highest official, stated unequivocally that Super Typhoon Ragasa poses a “serious risk.” He compared its potential risk to that of the catastrophic super typhoons that struck the area in 2017 and 2018. Emergency management authorities have been sending advisories warning their residents to “avoid non-emergency travel” as the situation deteriorates.
The observatory has warned of significant storm surges that could raise water levels by up to four meters by Wednesday morning. This warning comes as new precautionary measures, including lockdowns, have begun in mainland China. Officials have issued stay-at-home mandates for non-essential businesses and schools in at least ten urban areas across the South.
In neighboring Shenzhen, authorities have ordered the evacuation of around 400,000 residents as a precautionary measure against the typhoon’s potential effects. Other cities in Guangdong province, such as Chaozhou, Zhuhai, Dongguan, and Foshan, have started enacting similar emergency measures.
Ongoing Monitoring and Public Safety
The situation is still very much evolving as officials are still determining the storm’s path and what the storm will bring. The operator of the Hong Kong stock exchange said Saturday that they were “closely monitoring” developments involving Super Typhoon Ragasa.
As the storm approaches, we urge all residents to monitor official updates and advisories and follow applicable safety guidance. The Hong Kong Observatory reiterated that Ragasa possesses an extensive circulation with fierce winds, reinforcing the need for vigilance among the public.