Macau, China, Sept. 23, 2025 (Lusa) - Macau authorities have issued a red storm surge warning at 6 p.m. (11 a.m. in Lisbon) on Tuesday and raised the alert level to signal 8, declaring a state of immediate prevention in view of the approach of super typhoon Ragasa.
Signal 8 was issued at 5 p.m. (10 a.m. in Lisbon) and established a state of immediate prevention, with Ragasa about 370 kilometres from Macau, moving at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour.
"The intensity of super typhoon Ragasa and the threat of storm surge [abnormal rise in sea level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide] could reach levels similar to or even higher than those of Hato and Mangkhut in 2017 and 2018, respectively, which poses a serious threat to Macao," announced the communications office of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Executive.
"Ragasa is expected to come very close to the mouth of the Pearl River on Wednesday, 24 September, with winds of nine to 11 degrees, accompanied by very severe storm surge and large-scale flooding," the office added.
"Super Typhoon Ragasa was located about 370 km east-southeast of Macao (...). The system is moving west-northwest at a speed of 20 km/h, generally towards the west coast of the Pearl River estuary," according to a note published on the website of the Meteorological and Geophysical Services Bureau (DSMG).
The authorities added that signal 9 on the Beaufort scale is expected to be issued between midnight and 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, with a strong possibility that signal 10, the highest, will be activated in the early hours or morning of the same day.
The tropical storm warning scale consists of signals 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10, with the signal issued depending on the proximity of the storm and the intensity of the wind.
"Typhoon Ragasa is expected to approach the Pearl River estuary between the early hours and the day on Wednesday, with the possibility of passing less than 100 kilometres from Macao," according to the DSMG.
"Hurricane-force winds - Beaufort scale 12 or above - are expected to persist, accompanied by heavy rain, thunderstorms and violent gusts," the meteorological services added.
Macau residents on higher floors were urged to take precautions against the potentially severe impacts of sustained winds exceeding 200 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 260, as well as torrential rain, according to the meteorological services, which, if they coincide with the astronomical high tide on Wednesday, open up the possibility of flooding of a magnitude comparable to that observed during typhoons Hato and Mangkhut.
In September 2018, typhoon Mangkhut caused 40 injuries and severe flooding in the territory. A year earlier, Hato, considered the worst typhoon to hit Macau in more than 50 years, caused ten deaths and 240 injuries.
For the first time, all casinos in Macau were instructed to close and take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of customers and guests.
Macau's head of government, Sam Hou Fai, who visited low-lying neighbourhoods on Monday, warned of the forecast passage of Ragasa, a super typhoon with a very wide front.
Due to the tropical storm, nursery, primary, secondary and special education classes will be suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Public services, with the exception of accident and emergency departments and civil protection services, will also be closed.
The last crossings on the bridge connecting Macau to Hong Kong, as well as ferry departures connecting the two Chinese special administrative regions, have been set for 13:00.
Other sea links between Macau and mainland China have also been suspended and the borders between Macau and China closed.
JW/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
