Europe Asia News

Super Typhoon Ragasa, with winds of 230 km/h, is expected to reach the sparsely populated northern islands on Monday before moving westward toward southern China.

The Philippine Meteorological Bureau reported that Ragasa poses a "life-threatening high storm surge risk" with peak heights exceeding 3 meters.

Schools and government offices across much of the country, including the capital Manila, were closed, and authorities warned of widespread flooding and landslides as well as damage to homes and infrastructure.

In the remote Batanes or Babuyan Islands, where Ragasa is expected to make landfall, around 20,000 people live, most of them in poverty.

Ragasa is not expected to directly strike Taiwan but is forecast to bring heavy rains to its eastern coasts.

Forested areas and nature trails in southern and eastern Taiwan have been closed since Monday morning, and some ferry services have also been suspended.