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Typhoon Ragasa Disrupts Shipping Across Southern China

Typhoon Ragasa from the International Space Station (Jonny Kim / NASA)
Typhoon Ragasa from the International Space Station (Jonny Kim / NASA)

Published Sep 24, 2025 7:18 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

A super typhoon has disrupted shipping in southern China and Taiwan over the last few days, forcing port closures and diversions. No marine casualties have yet been reported, but on shore the toll is significant, including 14 dead in a levee failure in Taiwan. 

Super Typhoon Ragasa formed in the Western Pacific last week and headed northwest for Taiwan on a gradual, erratic path. Strengthening into the equivalent to a category 5 hurricane, it packed peak wind speeds of more than 100 knots, making it the world's most powerful storm of 2025. It passed south of Taiwan, sparing the island of the worst risks. However, in eastern Hualien county, torrential rain from the storm caused a naturally-occurring barrier lake to burst its banks, sending mud and water rushing downstream. 14 people were killed in the resulting flood (revised downward from initial reports of 17 deaths). 

In coastal Guangzhou, southern China's economic powerhouse, the typhoon forced sweeping shutdowns at ports, airports, and public places. Forecasts predicted powerful winds, up to 17 inches of rain and coastal wave heights of up to 23 feet. Residents were advised to shelter in place and avoid going outside until after the storm passed, and social media postings showed sold-out supermarket shelves in major commercial hubs like Shenzhen. On Ragasa's arrival in Hong Kong and Macau, the storm caused considerable property damage. 

The region's thriving container-freight hubs in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou closed on Monday as the storm approached, and terminal operators secured their facilities to reduce the risk of damage. The shutdown happened just ahead of China's "Golden Week" holiday, the annual factory closure that typically prompts a flurry of shipping activity in the weeks prior.

Affected terminals included SCT, CCT, MCT Terminals and Yantian International Container Terminals (YICT). From Monday on, only outbound transits were permitted for container ships, and small vessels at berth were ordered to be secured in port. 

It is the second time in a month that a storm has disrupted southern China's terminals, following Typhoon No. 16 in early September - and it may not be the last. Storm Opong is right behind, and is on track to strengthen into a typhoon by Thursday. Opong's trackline should take it across southern Luzon and out into the South China Sea over the next several days, then onwards towards Hainan.