TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Typhoon Ragasa threatens Taiwan and the Philippines Monday (Sept. 22) as the powerful storm's outer bands reach both countries. The typhoon, positioned 320 kilometers (199 miles) southeast of Taiwan's southernmost point Eluanbi (鵝鑾鼻), is expected to make landfall in the Philippines by afternoon. Officials warn of intensifying conditions across both nations as the dangerous storm system advances westward.
Ragasa's powerful rain and winds have reached Hengchun (恆春) and threaten major Taiwanese cities including Taitung, Pingtung, and Kaohsiung. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (中央氣象署), the island's meteorological agency, reports the storm's central pressure at 900 hPa with maximum sustained winds of 58 meters per second (130 mph). The typhoon could intensify further before striking the Philippines by afternoon or passing dangerously close to the Babuyan Islands.
The storm advances west-northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (12 mph) with dangerous winds extending 320 kilometers (199 miles) from its center. Authorities forecast intensifying gusts across northern Taiwan and heavy rainfall in southern and eastern regions Tuesday (Sept. 23). Ragasa's outer circulation threatens to deliver torrential downpours that could trigger flooding and landslides in mountainous areas.
Philippine authorities suspended classes and government work across Metro Manila and 29 provinces as Ragasa approaches. The Department of the Interior and Local Government urged residents in flood-prone and hazardous areas to evacuate immediately. Officials reported 2,777 people had fled their homes in northern and central Luzon by Sunday evening (Sept. 21), with more evacuations expected as the typhoon intensifies today. ◼