“The wind moaned like a beast. The water rushed like a beast. The people held on like they had no choice.”
That’s how one survivor described the fury of Typhoon Ragasa as it swept through Southeast and East Asia in September 2025. More than a tropical storm, Ragasa became one of the strongest cyclones of the year. In this post, we’ll walk through how it formed, the regions it devastated, and the recovery efforts that continue today.
What Was Typhoon Ragasa?
To grasp its full impact, we first need to understand how Typhoon Ragasa developed and grew so quickly.
Origin and Naming
Ragasa, called Super Typhoon Nando in the Philippines, formed as a disturbance north of Yap on September 16, 2025. Once inside the Philippine area of responsibility, it was named Nando by PAGASA, while the Japan Meteorological Agency gave it the international name Ragasa. The name replaced “Hagibis,” retired after its devastating 2019 season.
Rapid Intensification
Warm ocean waters, minimal wind shear, and strong outflow created perfect conditions. By September 21, both PAGASA and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center declared Ragasa a super typhoon. At its peak, winds reached 270 km/h (165 mph) with central pressure dropping near 905 hPa — a storm built to cause destruction.
Path and Trajectory
Ragasa traveled northwest from Micronesia, grazed northern Luzon in the Philippines, and barreled toward Taiwan before threatening Hong Kong, Macau, and southern China’s Pearl River Delta. What made Ragasa unusual was its ability to hold strength even as it approached land.
In short, Typhoon Ragasa was a perfect storm of conditions meeting vulnerable coastlines.
Affected Areas and Their Struggles
2.1 Philippines
Northern Luzon bore the brunt, especially provinces like Batanes, Cagayan, Abra, Ilocos Norte, and Isabela.
- Impact: Flooding, landslides, storm surges, and widespread power outages affecting nearly 746,000 households. Transmission lines and farmlands were damaged, while fishing communities lost boats and equipment.
- Human cost: At least 10 deaths, 700,000 affected, and 25,000 displaced into emergency shelters.
Despite years of preparation, Ragasa’s intensity outpaced the Philippines’ defenses.
2.2 Taiwan
Eastern Taiwan, especially Hualien County and Guangfu Township, was devastated.
- Impact: Rainfall exceeded 70 cm in some areas. A barrier lake gave way, unleashing 60 million tons of water in a flash flood. Bridges collapsed, homes vanished underwater, and vehicles were swept away.
- Human cost: At least 14 dead, 124 missing, and thousands stranded or forced into shelters.
For many, it was not just rainfall but a sudden wall of water — more than local systems were prepared to handle.
2.3 Hong Kong and Macau
Hong Kong issued its highest typhoon alert (No. 10) as Ragasa drew close.
- Impact: Monster waves battered promenades, uprooted trees, flooded roads, and shattered glass panels in high-rises. Over 700 flights were canceled. Macau shut casinos, while some districts lost electricity.
- Human cost: Dozens injured, thousands in shelters, and significant damage to infrastructure.
The scenes were dramatic: seawater crashing over sea walls, hotel lobbies turned into rivers, and skyscraper windows bursting under pressure.
2.4 Southern China
Guangdong province prepared for one of the worst strikes in decades.
- Impact: More than 1.9 million people evacuated. Schools, factories, and transport systems shut down. Authorities warned of surges reaching nearly 3 meters. Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Dongguan braced for floods and damage to factories.
- Economic shock: Companies like Zijin Gold delayed billion-dollar IPOs due to Ragasa’s disruptions.
Southern China’s urban density and global economic importance amplified the storm’s significance.
Why Typhoon Ragasa Was Especially Dangerous
- Rapid growth: Ragasa intensified quickly, leaving little reaction time.
- Compound disasters: Floods, landslides, storm surges, and dam failures struck simultaneously.
- Weak evacuation systems: In Taiwan, vertical evacuation wasn’t enough against sudden flood surges.
- Urban fragility: Cities like Hong Kong and Shenzhen are coastal, dense, and exposed to both wind and rising waters.
- Economic ripple effects: Ragasa showed how storms disrupt global supply chains and financial markets.
- Climate change link: Warmer oceans and shifting atmospheric conditions are fueling more powerful storms like Typhoon Ragasa.
Recovery Efforts in the Hardest-Hit Areas
Philippines
Relief agencies distribute food, water, and medicine. Power restoration and farm rehabilitation are underway. Calls are growing for better disaster-preparedness systems in remote communities.
Taiwan
Search and rescue missions continue. Policymakers face pressure to update evacuation strategies. Infrastructure repairs — bridges, drainage, and utilities — dominate early recovery efforts.
Hong Kong & Macau
Cleanup teams work to restore roads, power lines, and flood defenses. Schools and businesses gradually reopen. Insurance claims mount as residents tally damages.
Southern China
Millions remain in shelters. Coastal defenses and rivers are closely monitored. Factories cautiously restart as logistics and power networks come back online.
Comparing Typhoon Ragasa to Other Typhoons
Ragasa rivals storms like Typhoon Mangkhut (2018) in terms of damage and intensity. But today’s higher population density and economic interdependence mean the stakes are even higher. What once was a local disaster now has regional and global consequences.
Support and Help
- Support relief agencies like the Red Cross and local NGOs.
- Share accurate updates to boost awareness.
- Contribute to long-term resilience: storm-proof housing, improved drainage, stronger flood defenses.
- Advocate for climate action to reduce the risks of future megastorms like Typhoon Ragasa.
Lessons from Typhoon Ragasa
Storms like Typhoon Ragasa are a reminder of nature’s raw power. They overwhelm our systems, test our resilience, and leave scars that take years to heal. Yet, they also push us to adapt, rebuild smarter, and prepare better.
Where disaster response is strong — with robust infrastructure, early warnings, and community readiness — recovery is faster. Where it is weak, damage lingers for generations.
Ragasa left behind destruction, but also a call to action: we need climate-resilient cities, stronger evacuation strategies, and a commitment to protect those most vulnerable.
