Strongest storm of the year strikes Philippines, Asia on high alert

Super Typhoon Ragasa, the planet’s strongest storm of 2025 to date, unleashed devastating winds and heavy rainfall across the northern Philippines on Monday, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate and prompting emergency preparations in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and parts of southern China. Packing sustained winds over 260 kilometers per hour (160 mph), the Category 5-equivalent cyclone made landfall in Cagayan province, bringing down trees, flooding roads, and knocking out power in multiple regions. Officials suspended classes and government work across Luzon, while hospitals and emergency crews braced for worsening conditions. The Philippines’ national weather bureau warned of catastrophic storm surges, landslides, and up to 15 inches of rainfall in vulnerable areas.

As Ragasa tracks westward across the South China Sea, densely populated cities like Hong Kong and Shenzhen are enacting disaster protocols, including large-scale evacuations, flight cancellations, and school closures. Taiwan issued land and sea warnings, with ferry services suspended and residents in eastern coastal towns advised to prepare for flash flooding. Experts say Ragasa’s explosive intensification is consistent with warming ocean trends that are making storms more powerful and unpredictable. The storm is expected to skirt south of Taiwan and approach southern China by midweek, putting millions more at risk as regional governments race to minimize casualties and damage.