20 h. ago Chinese coastguard patrols reefs controlled by Vietnam in South China Sea

The Chinese coastguard patrolled around disputed sites controlled by Vietnam in the South China Sea last week, vessel tracking information shows. Three patrol ships left a Chinese base on Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands on Thursday and circled around a series of land features – some of which Vietnam has built facilities on – before returning to the reef on Saturday, according to Automatic Identification System data. The purpose of the patrol by the coastguard vessels – identified by the...

Politics

2 w. ago Climate change made damage from Super Typhoon Ragasa significantly worse: study

Climate change may have been responsible for more than a third of the direct damage to homes and property caused by the super typhoon that struck southern China last month, a study has concluded. A warming Earth also made Ragasa – the strongest storm recorded this year – more powerful when it made landfall in Guangdong province, according to researchers from Imperial College London. They added that as the planet continued to warm, tropical cyclones were expected to become increasingly...

Society

2 w. ago How China was ready for Super Typhoon Ragasa – and what still needs to be done

Super Typhoon Ragasa may have been the biggest storm of its kind in the world this year, but when it made landfall in mainland China last month, it left no fatalities in its wake. Rewind to 2018 when Mangkhut, the last super typhoon to hit Guangdong province, struck and at least four people were killed in southern China. Typhoon Hato also left nine dead in Guangdong in 2017, and Typhoon Fanapi caused 34 deaths in the coastal province in 2010. The contrast is even sharper when compared with the...

Politics

2 w. ago Fourth storm in five weeks threatens after Hong Kong recovers from Ragasa

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong is bracing for its fourth storm in five weeks, with a typhoon forecast to move close to the city this weekend, hot on the heels of Super Typhoon Ragasa which brought life to a standstill for two days last week. The Hong Kong Observatory said on Wednesday that a tropical depression formed earlier in the day to the east of the Philippines would...

Events

2 w. ago Fourth storm in 5 weeks threatens after Hong Kong recovers from Ragasa

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong is bracing for its fourth storm in five weeks, with one forecast to move close to the city this weekend, hot on the heels of Super Typhoon Ragasa, which brought life to a standstill for two days last week. The Hong Kong Observatory said on Wednesday that a tropical depression formed earlier in the day to the east of the Philippines would intensify...

Events

3 w. ago Ragasa’s wake brings pride and important lessons for Hong Kong

Last week, Hong Kong braved the strongest storm of the year in the world as Super Typhoon Ragasa ripped through the city as well as the Philippines, Taiwan, Macau and coastal mainland China, causing havoc. Compared with the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, Hong Kong did well this time. Mangkhut sank boats, damaged infrastructure, left roads strewn with debris, injured hundreds of people and caused economic losses estimated at HK$4.6 billion (US$591.3 million). Economist...

Politics

3 w. ago Man, 54, charged over swimming at closed Hong Kong beach during Ragasa

A 54-year-old man has been prosecuted for allegedly swimming at a closed public beach in Hong Kong while a No 10 signal was in force under Super Typhoon Ragasa, the second instance in as many days of storm thrill-seekers falling foul of the law. Police said on Friday that the force was alerted at noon on Wednesday that a man was suspected of swimming at a closed public beach on Castle Peak Road in Tuen Mun while the No 10 warning signal was in effect. Officers arrived at the scene and issued a...

Society

3 w. ago Philippines, still recovering from Super Typhoon Ragasa, lashed by new storm

The Philippines evacuated hundreds of thousands of people and confirmed at least three deaths on Friday as a severe tropical storm battered the country, still feeling the effects of Super Typhoon Ragasa. Civil defence officials in southern Luzon’s Bicol region said three people had been killed as walls collapsed and trees were uprooted by Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi, which is sweeping west by northwest at sustained speeds of 110km/h (68mph). Evacuees in one province took cover under pews as the...

Events

3 w. ago Southern China cleans up after lashing from Super Typhoon Ragasa

The southern Chinese province of Guangdong was mopping up on Thursday after a battering from Ragasa, a super typhoon that has since weakened into a tropical storm. Ragasa made landfall at Yangjiang, in western Guangdong, at around 5pm on Wednesday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that caused flooding and disrupted transport in cities across the province. Despite the storm’s record strength – it became the world’s strongest typhoon so far this year with sustained wind speeds of up to 265km/h...

Politics

3 w. ago A weakened storm Ragasa pushes across China's south coast after flooding

A weakened storm Ragasa pushes across China's south coast after flooding  Midland Daily News

Events

3 w. ago Typhoon Ragasa live: Storm heads for Vietnam after wreaking havoc in southern China, Hong Kong and Taiwan

Typhoon Ragasa live: Storm heads for Vietnam after wreaking havoc in southern China, Hong Kong and Taiwan  The Independent

Society

3 w. ago Hong Kong aims to curb storm chasing after mother and son hospitalised during Ragasa

Hong Kong’s security minister will consider new legislation to curb storm chasing after a woman and her five-year-old son were left hospitalised in intensive care by a strong wave sweeping them into the sea during the No 8 signal for Super Typhoon Ragasa. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also warned on Thursday that bringing children to such dangerous activities could constitute neglect. Tang vowed to review existing legislation addressing storm chasing and consider enacting new...

Events

3 w. ago Hong Kong aims to curb storm chasing after mother, son hospitalised during Ragasa

Hong Kong’s security chief will consider new legislation to curb storm chasing after a woman and her five-year-old son were left hospitalised in intensive care by a strong wave that swept them into the sea as Super Typhoon Ragasa approached the city. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also warned on Thursday that bringing children to such dangerous activities could constitute neglect. Tang vowed to review existing legislation addressing storm chasing and consider enacting new laws, as...

Events

3 w. ago Hong Kong studying storm chasing laws after arrest of 2 Ragasa thrill seekers

Hong Kong’s security chief will consider new legislation to curb storm chasing after police arrested two thrill seekers, along with an incident involving a wave-watching family of three who were hurt by strong waves during Super Typhoon Ragasa. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also warned on Thursday that bringing children to such dangerous activities could constitute neglect. The Post learned that two women were arrested on Thursday for allegedly bringing a young boy to take selfies...

Events

3 w. ago Hong Kong studying storm chasing laws after arrest of 2 Ragasa thrill

Hong Kong’s security chief will consider new legislation to curb storm chasing following the arrest of two thrill-seekers and an incident in which three family members were hurt while watching strong waves during Super Typhoon Ragasa. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also warned on Thursday that taking children to such dangerous activities could constitute neglect. The Post learned that two women were arrested for allegedly bringing a young boy to take selfies and film the stormy...

Events

3 w. ago 2 women arrested in Hong Kong over endangering child on Ragasa selfie trip

Hong Kong’s security chief will consider new legislation to curb storm chasing following the arrest of two thrill-seekers and an incident in which three family members were hurt while watching strong waves during Super Typhoon Ragasa. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also warned on Thursday that taking children to such dangerous activities could constitute neglect. Police said that two women were arrested for allegedly bringing an eight-year-old boy to take selfies and film the...

Society

3 w. ago Hong Kong lowers typhoon warning signal to No 1 as Ragasa weakens

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing now for 50 per cent off during our two-day flash sale. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has further downgraded the typhoon warning signal to No 1 as Tropical Storm Ragasa continues to move away after wreaking havoc in the city. Education authorities also announced on Thursday that afternoon kindergarten classes would resume, while morning classes remained...

Events

3 w. ago Hong Kong to cancel all typhoon warning signals at 11.20am as Ragasa moves away

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing now for 50 per cent off during our two-day flash sale. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster will cancel all typhoon warning signals at 11.20am on Thursday as Tropical Storm Ragasa continues to move away after wreaking havoc in the city. Education authorities also announced on Thursday that afternoon kindergarten classes would resume, while morning classes remained...

Events

3 w. ago Hong Kong cancels all typhoon warning signals as Ragasa moves away

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing now for 50 per cent off during our two-day flash sale. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has cancelled all typhoon warning signals as Tropical Storm Ragasa continues to move away after wreaking havoc in the city. Education authorities also announced on Thursday that afternoon kindergarten classes would resume, while morning classes remained suspended. The Hong...

Events

3 w. ago Lessons from Ragasa lashing Hong Kong’s coastal areas must be learned: experts

A flooded hotel lobby and promenades engulfed by seas whipped up as Super Typhoon Ragasa bore down on Hong Kong provide timely lessons for buildings and urban planning in coastal and low-lying areas, experts have said. They called for flood-resilient features and higher breakwaters on Wednesday after a storm surge and downpours associated with Ragasa battered the city’s coastline, inundating streets and promenades, with floodwaters rushing into restaurants, parks and even a lobby in the 425-room...

Politics