China Shakes: Super Typhoon Ragasa Strikes Guangdong with Level 18 Winds and 14-Meter Waves- Heating Planet blog

Watch Extreme Weather footage n report here transcript below

Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest storm of the year, has slammed into Guangdong, China, with winds reaching level 18 and monstrous 14-meter waves. Over 400,000 people in Shenzhen have been forced to evacuate. Eleven cities shut down, airports closed, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange halted, and transport networks paralyzed.

TRANSCRIPT

Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest in the world, devastates China. 0:30 China, September 23, 2025. 0:35 More than 400,000 residents in Shenzhen were 0:38 forced to evacuate as Super Typhoon Ragasa, 0:42 with winds reaching level 18, 0:44 slammed into Guangdong Province on September 24. 0:49 Before that, 11 cities in China had to suspend all activities, 0:54 block bridges and major roads, close airports, 0:58 and even the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was forced to halt trading. 1:07 From the early morning of September 24, 2025, 1:11 China entered a breathless moment as Super Typhoon Ragasa, 1:15 the 18th storm of the year, struck the coast of Guangdong Province. 1:20 Ragasa was not just another powerful typhoon. 1:23 China Central Television described it 1:25 as “the strongest super typhoon in the world this year.” 1:29 Many social media bloggers fueled fear by suggesting it could 1:33 be the “greatest meteorological disaster in human history.” 1:37 Images showed massive swirling clouds over the South China Sea, 1:41 winds exceeding level 18, and waves reaching 14 meters high. 1:46 It looked as if Guangdong was about to 1:48 face a “full-scale assault of nature.” 2:01 Since the night of September 22, Guangdong authorities 2:05 urgently issued a Level I emergency order, 2:08 the highest level in the disaster response system. 2:12 Eleven cities including Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, 2:16 Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhanjiang, Yangjiang, Maoming, 2:22 Chaozhou, Foshan, and Jiangmen simultaneously 2:27 enforced the “five suspensions”: suspending schools, 2:31 work, production, activities, and business. 2:35 Schools stood empty, factories silent, ferry terminals closed, 2:40 and tourist attractions displayed signs saying 2:43 “closed to visitors for five days.” 2:46 Guangdong had never fallen into such widespread paralysis. 2:51 Shenzhen, a megacity of 17.5 million people, 2:56 activated both top-level typhoon and flood response, 3:00 ordered residents to store at least three days’ worth of food and water, 3:04 and even food delivery services were suspended. 3:22 The danger did not come from wind and rain alone. 3:26 The typhoon’s arrival coincided with the highest 3:28 astronomical tide of the year, creating a double surge threat. 3:33 China’s Central Meteorological Observatory warned 3:36 that the Pearl River Delta could suffer storm 3:39 surges up to 250 centimeters, pushing seawater inland 3:44 and threatening coastal cities such as Zhuhai, 3:47 Dongguan, Zhongshan, and especially Shenzhen. 3:52 At the same time, the National Marine Forecasting Center 3:56 issued a red alert for waves, the highest level, 3:59 forecasting waves in the northern South China Sea to reach 14 meters, 4:04 enough to swallow even large cargo ships. 4:07 For the first time this year, 4:09 China had to issue dual red alerts for both typhoon and ocean waves, 4:14 a sign of unprecedented severity. 4:27 In Hong Kong, the international airport suspended all passenger flights. 4:32 Cathay Pacific announced the cancellation of at least 500 flights. 4:37 People rushed into supermarkets, stripping shelves bare of bottled water, 4:42 instant noodles, candles, and power banks. 4:46 A similar scene played out in Shenzhen, where stores were emptied. 4:51 Some residents carried home as many as five or six power banks, 4:55 fearing days of blackout. 4:58 In Taiwan, where Ragasa swept across the eastern 5:01 coast before heading toward Guangdong, 5:04 at least six people were injured, 7,000 evacuated, 5:08 and over 8,000 households lost electricity. 5:11 Eighty-eight ferries were canceled 5:13 and several small islands barred tourists. 5:17 In Hualien, hundreds of residents awaited urgent evacuation 5:22 orders due to landslide risks. 5:24 What Ragasa left behind in Taiwan was considered a terrifying 5:28 “draft version” of what Guangdong was about to endure. 5:47 The fear only grew worse as just days 5:50 earlier Guangdong had been hit by Typhoon Mitag. 5:53 The ground was already saturated, drainage systems weakened, 5:58 and defenses nearly exhausted. 6:00 Authorities warned clearly: The situation is extremely critical. 6:06 On social media, many residents voiced their fear: 6:10 Super Typhoon Ragasa carries an air mass heavier 6:13 than 90 million tons pressing down on Guangdong. 6:17 Just one weak point, and everything will be crushed. 6:22 Strategic transport routes shut down one after another. 6:26 The Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macau Bridge halted traffic, 6:31 high-speed trains in Guangdong stopped, 6:34 and many highways were blocked. 6:37 In Zhuhai, people were ordered to stay indoors, 6:40 schools and businesses closed. 6:43 In Guangzhou, storm warnings rose to orange level, 6:47 and all schools were suspended. 6:50 Haikou on Hainan Island, though not directly in the storm’s path, 6:55 still closed schools, airports, and parks as precaution. 7:15 Tension spread across mainland China’s social media. 7:19 One blogger exclaimed: Zhuhai is trembling. 7:22 This is no longer a typhoon, this is a machine of destruction. 7:27 Rumors spread that Ragasa could become the 7:30 strongest super typhoon ever recorded in human history. 7:35 Meteorological experts did not use such dramatic 7:38 words but admitted that Ragasa had maintained super 7:42 typhoon status for more than 40 hours, 7:45 an extremely rare record. 7:57 Chinese officials reported that more than 400,000 people 8:00 were being evacuated from low-lying coastal 8:03 areas of Shenzhen and nearby cities. 8:06 All public shelters were opened. 8:09 Police, firefighters, and medical teams stood on 24-hour duty, 8:14 while emergency hotlines worked at full capacity. 8:18 Yet with gusts above level 18, waves over 10 meters high, 8:22 and rainfall that could reach 400 millimeters in a single day, 8:27 many experts admitted frankly: 8:29 No city can withstand a perfect super typhoon like Ragasa. 8:33 The only thing we can do is race against time, 8:37 minimize damage, and pray for luck. 8:41 Guangdong was not only facing a weather challenge 8:44 but also enduring a life-and-death test of willpower, 8:48 disaster response, and the resilience of tens of millions of people. 8:54 The next few hours would decide whether 8:56 Ragasa would be remembered as one of China’s 8:58 most nightmarish storms in history. 9:18 Please watch the new video here🔝