Hong Kong: Hong Kong began reopening on Thursday after a 36-hour shutdown caused by Typhoon Ragasa, the world’s most powerful cyclone of 2025. The storm battered the city with hurricane-force winds and heavy rains, leaving widespread flooding, hundreds of injuries, and major infrastructure damage before moving into southern China.

Authorities in Hong Kong downgraded the storm warning from the highest Signal 10 to Signal 3, allowing schools and businesses to resume operations, though kindergartens remained closed.

More than 100 people were injured as seawater surged into hotels and shopping centers, roads were submerged, and thousands of trees were uprooted. Emergency crews are still working to clear debris and restore services.

Hong Kong International Airport resumed flights from 6 a.m. Thursday, with all three runways operational and over 1,000 flights scheduled through Friday. Airlines had evacuated much of their fleet before the storm, leaving hundreds of flights canceled during Ragasa’s passage.

Across the region, the cyclone left a heavy toll. In Taiwan, at least 14 people were killed and more than 30 remain missing after torrential rains triggered flash floods and landslides, particularly in Hualien’s Guangfu township. Earlier casualty figures were revised downward as double counts were corrected. In the Philippines, at least 10 people lost their lives, mostly fishermen caught at sea, while landslides and floods caused further damage.

Mainland China’s Guangdong province evacuated nearly 1.9 million people before Ragasa made landfall near Yangjiang, where winds gusted up to 241 kilometers per hour. The storm forced schools, factories, and transport networks to shut down in several cities.

Described by meteorologists as the strongest tropical cyclone of the year, Ragasa reached peak winds exceeding 260 kilometers per hour before weakening slightly at landfall. Its destructive force has left governments across East Asia grappling with recovery efforts, as communities clear debris, restore transport links, and assess economic losses.

Authorities warn that the aftermath could bring further challenges, including the risk of landslides, lingering flooding, and disruptions to food and supply chains.