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Key Points

Southern China is bracing for a direct hit from Typhoon Ragasa. The province of Guangdong has raised its emergency response to the highest Level I as the powerful storm approaches. Widespread suspensions of classes, work, and public transport are in effect across major cities like Zhuhai and Shenzhen. The storm's impacts are also being felt in Hainan and Guangxi, where ferry and train services have been cancelled.

Key Points: Guangdong Activates Top Emergency Level for Typhoon Ragasa Landfall

  • Typhoon Ragasa forecast to make landfall as a strong or super strong typhoon within 24 hours
  • Winds expected to reach 40-55 meters per second with gusts up to 60 m/s
  • Major cities including Zhuhai and Shenzhen suspend work, classes, and public transport
  • Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge closes main bridge and port passenger clearance
2 min read

China's Guangdong raises emergency response to highest for Typhoon Ragasa

Typhoon Ragasa triggers China's highest Level I emergency response in Guangdong, forcing widespread closures of schools, transport, and businesses ahead of landfall.

"act with the highest standards, strictest requirements and most concrete measures - Guangdong flood, drought and wind control headquarters"

Beijing, Sep 23

South China's Guangdong Province raised its wind emergency response to the highest level at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, as Typhoon Ragasa is forecast to make landfall along the central or western coastal areas of the province as a strong or super strong typhoon within 24 hours.

Typhoon Ragasa entered the South China Sea late Monday and is forecast to move northwest at a speed of about 20 km per hour. It is expected to land in the coastal areas from Zhuhai City to Xuwen County on Wednesday, packing winds of 40 to 55 meters per second, according to the provincial meteorological observatory.

The typhoon is expected to bring rainstorms and strong winds, with some areas facing extreme precipitation, while regions directly in the path of its centre could experience gusts of up to 60 meters per second, reports Xinhua news agency.

The provincial flood, drought and wind control headquarters have urged all localities and departments to act with the highest standards, strictest requirements and most concrete measures, and have ordered major affected areas to suspend classes, work, production, public transportation and business operations. Cities including Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Jiangmen have implemented these suspensions.

Some highway sections and bridges in Zhuhai have been closed, and the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has suspended outbound passenger clearance, with the main bridge closed simultaneously.

In the neighbouring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, all passenger and ferry ships in the coastal waters of Guangxi have been suspended.

Maritime authorities in Guangxi's Beihai City have restricted the Beihai-Weizhou Island passenger ship route to disembarkation only, with no boarding allowed, and the evacuation of the remaining 6,000 tourists from Weizhou Island to Beihai is scheduled for completion on Tuesday.

The typhoon is also expected to impact the island province of Hainan, with the provincial capital Haikou to suspend classes, ferry services, park operations, work and business activities starting later on Tuesday or Wednesday. All train services to and from the island will be cancelled on Wednesday.

China has a four-tier emergency response system, with 'Level I' being the most severe response.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Level I emergency response is serious business. The suspension of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge operations shows how massive this typhoon is. Hope our fishermen in Bay of Bengal are also alert to weather warnings.
S
Sarah B
The coordination between different provinces (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan) is impressive. In disaster management, inter-state cooperation is crucial - something we can learn from for our own disaster responses in India.
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Arjun K
Winds up to 60 m/s is terrifying! That's over 200 km/h. Reminds me of Cyclone Fani that hit Odisha. Thank god for modern forecasting that gives people time to prepare. Stay safe everyone in the affected areas!
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Vikram M
While the emergency response seems thorough, I hope the authorities are paying equal attention to the poorer communities who might not have proper shelter. Natural disasters hit the vulnerable the hardest.
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Kavya N
The suspension of all train services to Hainan shows how seriously they're taking this. In India, we've seen how railways handle cyclones - sometimes better coordination is needed. Good to see proactive measures here.
M
Michael C
The four-tier emergency response system seems well-structured. India has similar protocols but implementation varies state to state. Hope everyone follows safety guidelines and minimizes casualties.

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