China Closes Schools and Businesses In 10 Cities Ahead of Typhoon Ragassa

China has ordered at least 10 cities to close schools and businesses as Super Typhoon Ragasa advances toward the country’s southern coast.

The restrictions, announced on Tuesday, will affect tens of millions of people and disrupt operations at thousands of factories across China’s manufacturing hub.

According to the Guangdong Emergency Management Bureau, Ragasa is expected to make landfall within 24 hours in the province’s central and western coastal areas. The bureau urged authorities to “decisively adopt measures, fully ensuring the safety of people’s lives and property, and minimising disaster losses to the greatest extent.”

Guangdong has triggered its highest emergency response for windstorms, with Ragasa packing gusts of up to 230 kilometres (140 miles) per hour, the Hong Kong Observatory reported.

In Shenzhen, a major technology hub, about 400,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate. City authorities warned of “severe wind, rain, waves and floods” and directed the closure of businesses and markets from Tuesday afternoon. Similar measures have been enforced in Zhuhai, Dongguan, and Foshan.

“The strong winds and heavy rainfall will severely impact our city, posing a critical defence situation,” Foshan’s emergency command said in a statement.

Ragasa is currently churning through the South China Sea after battering parts of the Philippines, where at least one death has been reported.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV also warned vessels in the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and nearby waters to take safety precautions.

Experts note that climate change, driven by global warming, is increasing the frequency and intensity of such storms.