Fujian activates emergency response for Super Typhoon Ragasa

The Fujian Maritime Safety Administration activated a Level II emergency response on Monday morning to address the impact of Super Typhoon Ragasa, which has severely disrupted maritime traffic, compounded by astronomical tides.

By 5 pm on Monday, the typhoon, with maximum winds exceeding force 17, caused strong gales ranging from force 7 to 9 along the Fujian coast, with gusts reaching force 10 to 11.

Fifty-two passenger ferry routes and 148 passenger ferries along the coast have been suspended. In the south region of Pingtan, an island off the coast of Fujian, all ferry routes have ceased operations, except for one emergency livelihood route.

In addition, 118 offshore construction projects have been halted, and 282 construction vessels have been relocated to safe waters.

The emergency response, initiated at 10 am on Monday, issued warnings to vessels navigating the Taiwan Strait and the offshore areas of central and southern Fujian.

Over 2,000 safety advisories have been disseminated, guiding 466 vessels away from the typhoon's path and into safe waters. Coordination with neighboring provinces ensured the proper accommodation of vessels seeking refuge in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces.

Fujian's maritime emergency rescue teams have been fully deployed, with two large professional rescue ships, four specialized rescue helicopters, 49 maritime patrol vessels, and 107 port tugboats on standby for prompt and effective response.

Ragasa, the 18th typhoon of the year, was upgraded to a super typhoon on Sunday morning, according to China's National Meteorological Center.