Super Typhoon Ragasa Slams Northern Philippines, Millions Brace in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southern China (Photo: Google Maps/Screenshot)Super Typhoon Ragasa, the world's most powerful storm so far this year, battered the northern Philippines Monday with destructive winds and torrential rains, triggering mass evacuations and widespread power outages as authorities across Hong Kong, Taiwan, and southern China braced for impact. The Philippines' meteorological agency issued its highest wind signal, warning of "potentially very destructive" conditions and life-threatening storm surges. Hong Kong has ordered school closures through Wednesday and is preparing temporary shelters and emergency crews. Cathay Pacific Airways said it will suspend all passenger flights after 6 p.m. Tuesday, with more than 500 cancellations expected, while Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express canceled or delayed dozens more flights. "Extreme precipitation events have become more frequent," the Hong Kong Observatory said, noting that rainfall records have been broken several times in recent decades.