Super Typhoon Ragasa was positioned about 380 kilometres southeast of Hong Kong, prompting the Observatory to issue the No. 8 storm signal as winds strengthened.
At 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) Ragasa was centred about 380 kilometres southeast of Hong Kong, near 20.3 degrees north and 117.1 degrees east. The storm is moving west-northwest at about 22 kilometres per hour, edging closer to the Pearl River Estuary and the coast of western Guangdong.
The No. 8 signal indicates winds with mean speeds of 63 kilometres per hour or more are expected from the northwest quarter. Local winds are forecast to strengthen further overnight as the super typhoon draws nearer.
The Observatory said Ragasa will likely maintain its super typhoon intensity and be closest to the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary on Tuesday morning (September 24).
Depending on its track and changes in local wind conditions, the Observatory may consider issuing higher Tropical Cyclone Warning Signals later tonight or early tomorrow.
Residents are advised to stay indoors, secure loose objects, and monitor further updates from the Hong Kong Observatory.
Thailand also issued an advisory for Passengers travelling with Thai Airways International to Kaohsiung in Taiwan and Hong Kong from Monday to Wednesday to keep their flights updated, according to the Bangkok Post.
As of 2 pm (local time) the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that a Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5 was hoisted over Babuyan Islands due to the Typhoon ‘Ragasa’ which is locally being called ‘Nando’, Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported.
The super typhoon packing 295km/h wind gusts, is moving westwards and is forecast to make landfall over the thinly populated Babuyan group of islands off the northern coast of Luzon in the Philippines between 2pm and 5 pm today before heading towards southern China, authorities said as per the state media outlet.
An estimated 5,000 families, equivalent to 14,000 individuals have been preemptively evacuated in four regions in Luzon amid the threat of Super Typhoon ‘Nando’, the Office of Civil Defense in Philippines said according to PNA .
(With ANI inputs)