Super Typhoon Ragasa: Daily life and extraordinary measures in Zhuhai before the storm

ZHUHAI, China -- Zhuhai residents rushed to markets to buy daily necessities and food supplies on Monday, following the super typhoon warning issued by the China Meteorological Administration as Typhoon Ragasa approaches.

The China Meteorological Administration announced that Ragasa has developed into the strongest typhoon in the world this year. Multiple regions in Guangdong have issued notices for the suspension of classes, work, production, transportation, and business operations.

“Before coming here, we heard that a typhoon was approaching. We had experienced typhoons before when we were in Ningbo, and thought it would pass quickly,” said Lu Jingxi, 28, a full-time housewife.

“This is the first time I have brought my family to Zhuhai for a trip, and I don’t want to have any regrets,” said Lu.

“It wasn’t until we saw the official announcements, posts shared by friends on social media, and received notices from the hotel about lockdown management that we realised how serious this typhoon was,” Lu said.

“We still wanted to take my family for a walk along the seaside within a safe area, to enjoy the breeze and spend some time together,” Lu added.

“Before, the typhoon didn’t make me feel worried because the sky was clear and sunny,” said Carla Duisebay, 20, an exchange student from Kazakhstan. “Before coming to China, I had never experienced a typhoon.”

“The campus supermarket and several nearby stores have run out of fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, and even instant noodles and bread. Seeing this emergency situation was really shocking to me,” Duisebay said.

“I will try to open the window a little to feel the typhoon—it’s a special experience for me,” Duisebay added.

Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Commerce initiated a city-wide essential goods supply monitoring mechanism, carrying out dynamic tracking of circulation in key supermarkets, wholesale markets, and slaughterhouses to ensure smooth allocation of resources. 

The Bureau also required all districts and commercial enterprises to strengthen risk prevention measures, effectively ensuring a stable supply of daily necessities.

“We can’t operate our cars during typhoons, because the ride-hailing platform suspends order assignments to ensure safety,” said Zhou Jianhua, 53, a ride-hailing driver in Zhuhai.

Many residents have adopted the practice of applying adhesive tape in the "米" character on their windows as an emergency measure against strong winds. Experts from the China Meteorological Administration indicate that this method has a certain scientific basis and can enhance the safety of window glass during a typhoon.

“Because I live by the sea and on a high floor, to make sure the windows stay secure, we usually tape the windows in a criss-cross pattern before a typhoon hits to withstand its strength,” said Link Wong, 20, who lives in Zhuhai and studies in Macau.

The China Meteorological Administration said Ragasa’s storm eye is unusually large and well-defined, which usually indicates that the typhoon has a relatively stable structure and high intensity. Such characteristics enable it to maintain strong winds and heavy rainfall over an extended period, posing significant threats to affected areas.

“There are many students going out to buy supplies—I’ve already picked up several groups of them. It’s good to have this kind of awareness, because Typhoon Mangkhut once had a huge impact on Zhuhai,” Zhou said. “Unless it’s necessary, people shouldn’t go out.”

The maximum wind speed of Typhoon Ragasa in Zhuhai reached 211 kilometers per hour, with wind speeds in some areas reaching 185 kilometers per hour.

Zhuhai is a coastal city in Southern China that is part of the Greater Bay Area, and is impacted by a high frequency of typhoons each year. The last typhoon closest to Zhuhai was Typhoon Taba, with its center located approximately 410 kilometers from Zhuhai on September 7, 2025.