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HONG KONG: Hong Kong went into lockdown on September 23 as Super Typhoon Ragasa — the world’s most powerful storm of 2025 — closed in on southern China, forcing flight cancellations, triggering evacuations, and prompting residents to stockpile essentials and brace for destructive winds and storm surges.

The Hong Kong Observatory warned that Ragasa, packing winds up to 220 km/h (137 mph), posed a “severe threat” to Guangdong province and would maintain super typhoon strength as it neared landfall from midday to late on September 24. At its peak, Ragasa’s sustained winds reached 260 km/h (162 mph), making it a Category 5 cyclone before weakening slightly.

Hong Kong issued a No. 8 typhoon signal, its third-highest warning, at 2:20 p.m. local time, urging businesses and transport services to halt operations. More than 700 flights were disrupted across the city, Macau, and Taiwan, with most passenger flights in Hong Kong suspended until Thursday.

Panic buying stripped supermarket shelves, while residents taped windows, sealed doors, and piled up sandbags in low-lying neighborhoods. Authorities warned that storm surges could push water levels as high as five meters (15 feet) in some areas, comparable to Typhoons Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018, both of which caused billions in damage.

Guangdong province evacuated more than 370,000 people, according to state news agency Xinhua. More than 11 cities, including tech hub Shenzhen and coastal Zhuhai, suspended schools, workplaces, and public transport. Shenzhen set up 800 emergency shelters, while workers trimmed trees along roads to reduce damage.

Macau ordered its casinos to close by 5 p.m., while in Taiwan, nearly 60 cm (24 inches) of rainfall was recorded in the east. The island reported 25 injuries and 273 cancelled flights over two days.

Despite the shutdown, Hong Kong’s stock exchange said it would remain open under a new policy allowing trading to continue in severe weather.

Ragasa is expected to remain a Category 4 storm as it slams into Guangdong’s coast. Authorities across southern China are warning of extreme rain, flooding, and waves up to seven meters (21 feet).