MANILA, September 21 — A powerful and fast-intensifying storm named Super Typhoon Ragasa is now barrelling towards the northern regions of the Philippines and Taiwan, putting millions of lives and homes at risk.
Authorities in both countries have ordered urgent evacuations ahead of anticipated flooding, landslides, and widespread wind damage. The Philippine weather agency warned that Ragasa is undergoing “rapid intensification” and is expected to slam into the Batanes or Babuyan Islands—sparsely populated but highly vulnerable—by Tuesday afternoon.
As of this morning, the super typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h with gusts reaching up to 230 km/h, continuing its westward march across the Pacific.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has called on local officials to act with urgency:
“We cannot afford to wait. Families in danger zones must be moved immediately to safety.”
In Taiwan, about 300 residents of Hualien County are also being evacuated. Officials stress that the number may increase depending on the storm’s trajectory. The Central Weather Administration anticipates issuing a land typhoon warning as early as tonight.
Weather experts in the Philippines predict severe flooding and landslides particularly in Northern Luzon, including areas not directly in the storm’s path.
“We expect the storm’s initial impact to be felt tonight, but the worst of it will hit by 8am tomorrow,” said weather specialist John Grender Almario.
While Manila is expected to be largely spared from the storm’s direct impact, the city saw thousands take to the streets today in protest against corrupt flood control projects—a scandal that has left many regions vulnerable and poorly protected.
These so-called “ghost projects”, valued at billions of pesos, have sparked widespread anger as communities continue to face annual devastation without real solutions.
The Philippines, located directly in the Pacific typhoon belt, faces around 20 major storms each year, pushing already vulnerable communities deeper into poverty.
Scientists continue to warn that climate change—fueled by unchecked human activity—is making storms like Ragasa stronger, faster, and more unpredictable.
In Hong Kong, the Observatory reported that weather will worsen by Tuesday and Wednesday, predicting gale-force winds and storm surges similar to those brought by 2018’s Typhoon Mangkhut.
