Super typhoon Ragasa reached wind speeds of 241 km/h in Taishan, Guangdong province, China, this afternoon, surpassing the previous record of 196 km/h set by typhoon Mangkhut in 2018.

The coastal city is braced for more strong winds and heavy rain as Ragasa is expected to make landfall today. Taishan authorities posted on WeChat that the city had entered the most critical and intense phase of its typhoon response.

Fallen trees caused by super typhoon Ragasa in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, 24/9. Photo: Reuters

Fallen trees caused by super typhoon Ragasa in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, 24/9. Photo: Reuters

The city of Shenzhen, also in Guangdong province, ordered businesses and schools to close on 23/9 in preparation for the typhoon. By this afternoon, the order had been lifted.

"Ragasa is weakening and moving away from our city," Shenzhen's disaster prevention agency stated, downgrading the typhoon warning from red, the highest level, to yellow.

China's National Meteorological Center previously predicted that the typhoon would make landfall along the coast between Taishan and Zhanjiang in Guangdong. Heavy rain is occurring across most of Guangdong and neighboring Fujian province.

Ragasa previously swept through Taiwan, causing heavy rainfall that breached a reservoir on the Ma Tai An river. The resulting floodwaters, carrying debris, rushed downstream, destroying a bridge over the river and causing widespread flooding in several towns, submerging homes and sweeping away vehicles. Taiwan's fire department reported 15 deaths and 17 people missing due to the floods.

Southern China is expected to experience heavy rain and strong winds from the typhoon until 26/9, with particularly heavy rainfall anticipated in parts of the Pearl River Delta and coastal areas of Guangdong.

Ngoc Anh (BBC, AP, Reuters)