China orders schools, businesses shut in 10 cities as Typhoon Ragasa nears
BEIJING: China on Tuesday ordered a shutdown of schools and businesses in at least 10 cities ahead of Super Typhoon Ragasa slamming into the country’s south.
The measures taken for the safety of people will affect tens of millions of people and see multiple factories shut across China’s manufacturing heartland.
Chinese tech hub Shenzhen has ordered the evacuation of 400,000 people, with the city’s emergency management authorities warning of “severe wind, rain, waves and floods”.
“Except for emergency rescue personnel and those ensuring people’s livelihood, please do not go out casually,” the authorities said in a statement, adding that work and market closures will begin in the afternoon.
World’s most powerful tropical cyclone this year affects tens of millions of people, causes closure of factories across China’s manufacturing heartland
Other cities in Guangdong province that are implementing the suspension measures include Chaozhou, Zhuhai, Dongguan and Foshan.
“The strong winds and heavy rainfall that the typhoon will bring will severely impact our city, posing a critical defence situation,” Foshan’s emergency headquarters said in a statement.
Ragasa was generating maximum sustained winds of 230 kilometres (140 miles) per hour at its centre while churning across the South China Sea, according to Hong Kong’s weather service, having earlier hit parts of the Philippines.
Hong Kong shuts down
Hong Kong shut down ahead of Super Typhoon Ragasa on Tuesday, with authorities urging people to stay at home, while most passenger flights were due to be suspended until Thursday.
People piled into supermarkets, leaving little on the shelves, as panic buying set in and residents stocked up on necessities for fear that shops could be closed for two days.
Windows in homes and businesses across the city were taped up, with residents hoping it could help reduce the impact of any shattered glass.
Guangdong authorities evacuated over 770,000 people, state broadcaster CCTV said, adding that more than one million people are expected to be relocated across the province on Tuesday.
Hong Kong issued the typhoon signal 8, its third highest at 2.20pm, which urges most businesses and transport services to shut down. More than 700 flights have been disrupted, including in the neighbouring gambling hub of Macau and in Taiwan.
The weather is expected to deteriorate rapidly.
Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2025
