China has evacuated hundreds of thousands of people and ordered the closure of schools and some businesses in at least 10 cities as what could be the strongest storm of 2025 approaches the country's southern coast.
Ahead of the arrival of the super typhoon called Ragasa, Hong Kong, a territory of China that has a certain degree of autonomy, raised the alert to level eight, which is just two below the maximum.
The storm is expected to make landfall in China's Guangdong province on Wednesday, where around 370.000 people have been evacuated so far, with authorities warning of a "catastrophic" situation.
The China Meteorological Agency has dubbed Typhoon Ragasa the "King of Storms."
The typhoon is expected to move towards northern Vietnam in the coming days, potentially endangering millions of people.
Watch: Supertyphoon Ragasa seen from space
The shelves of many supermarkets in Hong Kong are empty.
People were buying everything - from bread and vegetables to meat and instant noodles.
Hong Kong International Airport said "significant flight changes" should be expected until further notice.
More than 500 of the company's flights are expected to be canceled. Cathay Pacific, while from the company Hong Kong Airlines They said they would suspend all flights.
In cities across southern China, shopkeepers are lining up sandbags in front of their stores, and residents in coastal areas are worried about rising tides and waves.
Many people protected the windows of houses and businesses, hoping that this would prevent the destruction.
Although the Taiwan area was largely spared major destruction, at least six people were injured and more than 100 international flights were canceled.
Typhoon Ragasa hit a remote island in the northern Philippines on September 22.
At least one person was killed and thousands of families were evacuated before the storm made landfall.
Schools and government offices were closed across the country, as well as in the capital, Manila.
Supertyphoon Ragasa, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane, brought wind gusts of up to 285 kilometers per hour on September 22, threatening the area with flooding, storm surges and landslides.
Ragasa poses a "serious threat" to Hong Kong, said Eric Chan, the city's chief secretary for administration, comparing it to two other typhoons that have left behind extensive damage.
Super Typhoon Manghut of 2018, the most intense typhoon to hit the city so far, injured 200 people, sank ships and destroyed infrastructure, with the meteorological agency estimating economic losses at more than $590 million.
Typhoon Hato in 2017 caused serious flooding and injured more than 100 people in the city.
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