Typhoon forces evacuations across Philippines and China

Power outages, offices, classes shut and airport services suspended as Ragasa blows by northern Philippines and Taiwan; China prepares to evacuate 400,000.

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Thousands of people were evacuated from northern Philippine villages and schools and offices were closed on Monday in the archipelago and neighbouring Taiwan as one of this year's strongest typhoons threatened to cause flooding and landslides on its way to southeastern China.

Super Typhoon Ragasa had sustained winds of 215 kph with gusts of up to 295 kph when it slammed into Panuitan island off Cagayan province on mid-afternoon on Monday, Philippine forecasters said.

Ragasa was heading west and forecast to remain in the South China Sea at least into Wednesday while passing south of Taiwan and Hong Kong before landfall on the Chinese mainland.

The Chinese city of Shenzhen began preparing to evacuate 400,000 people while residents of the northern Philippines sought shelter from gale-force winds on Monday.

The typhoon made landfall on the Philippines’ Calayan Island, part of the sparsely populated Babuyan chain, at 3:00 pm, according to the Philippine weather service.