Philippines: Evacuations begin as Typhoon Ragasa nears

Manila: Life in parts of the Philippines was disrupted on Monday as authorities suspended work and families took shelter in evacuation centres ahead of Super Typhoon Ragasa's landing in the north.

The storm brushed Babuyan Island and headed for possible landfall over Calayan Island.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the disaster response agency on full alert and called for the mobilization of all government agencies as Ragasa threatened the country's north.

According to the national weather service, winds of up to 215 kph (134 mph) and gusts of up to 295 kph were recorded as of 8 a.m. local time (0000 GMT).

Typhoon warning for Babuyan Islands
Authorities have warned of heavy flooding, landslides and widespread power outages. Evacuations were underway in coastal and low-lying areas, and dozens of domestic flights and ferry services were cancelled.

Schools and government offices were closed in the Manila region and across 29 Philippine provinces.

The highest typhoon warning was raised for the remote Babuyan Islands, where Ragasa is expected to make landfall around midday. Officials urged residents there to evacuate to higher ground.

"We are now experiencing strong winds here in northern Cagayan," provincial disaster chief Rueli Rapsing told the AFP news agency. He added that they were prepared for "the worst."

Storm alerts across East and Southeast Asia
Ragasa, one of the strongest storms to hit the region in years, is expected to cross the Luzon Strait toward southern China.

Taiwan has issued land and sea warnings, canceled flights to eastern cities, and begun small-scale evacuations in mountainous areas, local fire department officer James Wu told AFP.

The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen is planning to evacuate 400,000 people "including those residing in temporary shelters, low-lying areas, and coastal regions," the city's emergency service posted on the WeChat messenger.

Meanwhile, authorities in Vietnam are monitoring and preparing for a possible landfall of the storm later this week

Hong Kong is also bracing for Ragasa and planning to halt all passenger flights for 36 hours starting 6 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Thursday, as Typhoon Ragasa advances.

Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific announced it expects to cancel more than 500 flights.

Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful as the world warms due to the effects of human-driven climate change.