As the South China Sea churns with record-breaking winds, nearly two million people in Guangdong province are scrambling to safety. Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest tropical cyclone of 2025 so far, is heading straight for China’s most populous region, earning the ominous nickname the “King of Storms.”
Authorities are taking no chances. Schools and businesses have been closed in cities across Guangdong, while emergency services prepare shelters and relief supplies for tens of millions of residents who could be affected by the storm’s fury tonight.
Evacuations and Emergency Measures
From Guangzhou to Shenzhen, Foshan, and Dongguan, the province’s major cities are on high alert.
Tens of thousands of tents, folding beds, and emergency lighting units have been dispatched as hurricane-force winds exceeding 100 mph (160 kph) approach.
Officials have evacuated around 1.9 million residents, prioritising those in low-lying coastal areas.
The storm is expected to hit between Yangjiang and Zhanjiang at roughly 10pm local time, giving communities only hours to prepare for the typhoon’s full force.
Ragasa’s Trail of Destruction
Ragasa has already left a deadly trail in its wake. In Taiwan, 14 people have been confirmed dead and 129 remain missing after a barrier lake overflowed, sending a torrent of water into nearby towns.
Hong Kong has also felt the storm’s impact, with towering waves crashing over the eastern and southern shores of the financial hub and heavy rain battering the streets.
Formed over the Western Pacific just last week, Ragasa intensified rapidly, reaching Category 5 status with winds exceeding 260 kph (162 mph) on Monday.
While it has weakened to Category 3, it remains a serious threat capable of toppling trees, cutting power lines, shattering windows, and damaging buildings.
Red Wave Warning for Guangdong
In a rare move, China’s National Maritime Environmental Forecasting Center issued a “red” wave warning—the highest possible—for the first time this year.
Storm surges of up to nine feet are expected along parts of the densely populated Pearl River Delta, adding to the sense of urgency among local authorities.
Keeping Track of the Latest Developments
Residents are hunkering down as the storm barrels across the region.
Emergency services continue to coordinate rescues, deliver supplies, and monitor the typhoon’s path.
Authorities urge everyone in the affected areas to stay indoors, avoid travel, and follow official updates closely as Ragasa approaches.
From Taiwan to Hong Kong and now Guangdong, the King of Storms has shown its destructive power, and southern China is bracing for what could be one of the most severe typhoon hits in years.