Ragasa Typhoon Triggers Philippines Evacuations, Hong Kong Flights

Super Typhoon Ragasa has forced mass evacuations across the northern Philippines, battered Taiwan and prompted major transport and business shutdowns in southern China as it heads toward Hong Kong, where airport operators and authorities warned of severe disruption this week. Officials and airline sources said preparations were under way for a prolonged suspension of passenger services at Hong Kong International Airport as the storm approaches.

Reports said the airport planned to halt passenger flights for about 36 hours, with proposed windows ranging from 6 p.m. on Tuesday to 6 a.m. on Thursday and, in other notices, from 8 p.m. on Tuesday to 8 a.m. on Thursday. A spokesperson for the Airport Authority Hong Kong said the authority was closely monitoring the storm and had commenced preparations including apron safety, passenger care and ground transport planning. Cathay Pacific has cancelled more than 500 flights and other carriers have announced hundreds more cancellations; airlines are waiving change fees for affected travelers.

The Philippine weather agency PAGASA warned of imminent life threatening conditions over northern Luzon and the Babuyan Islands, where the storm made...