Super Typhoon Ragasa is causing major flight disruptions across Asia as it churns in the South China Sea, with Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific saying on Tuesday that more than 500 flights were being cancelled.
Other carriers have also scrapped numerous flights, with the heaviest impact on air travel expected on Wednesday.
Hong Kong International Airport, a key hub for flights across Asia and to Australia and New Zealand, will technically remain open during the storm.
But airport officials warned of “significant disruption” to flight operations and urged travellers to check flight status directly with airlines.
A dedicated area is being set up at the airport to accommodate stranded passengers.
Highest typhoon warning in southern China
Authorities in the Chinese provinces of Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan have issued the highest typhoon warning as concern grows over the storm’s potential impact beyond aviation.
China’s national weather agency forecasts that Ragasa will make landfall in Guangdong on Wednesday before tracking west along the coast and weakening.
On Tuesday the storm, moving at 20 to 25 kilometres per hour toward China, packed sustained winds of around 200 km/h, with gusts far higher.
Ragasa is the 18th typhoon of the Pacific season and currently qualifies as a super typhoon, the most powerful category.
Taiwan and the Philippines hit hard
Ragasa has already lashed Taiwan with heavy rain and struck the northern Philippines on Monday.
Philippine authorities reported at least one death and said some 25,000 residents were forced to leave their homes, while schools and government offices were closed. Taiwan reported six injuries.
Taiwan reported 25 storm-related injuries between Monday and Tuesday. In the county of Hualien, a barrier lake is approaching overflow as water levels rise. Authorities have evacuated residents of nearby villages.