Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest storm of the 2025 season, has caused significant disruption in Taiwan and is moving toward Hong Kong and southern China. Howden Re’s APAC and Analytics teams have evaluated the storm's effects, potential future developments, and historical context for understanding these risks.
Ragasa led to Hong Kong issuing its highest No. 10 storm signal, a measure last used during Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018. Mangkhut resulted in nearly HKD 3.7 billion in damages. However, early assessments indicate that damage from Ragasa may be less severe than that of Mangkhut. This outcome is attributed to earlier warnings, better preparation efforts, and enhanced resilience measures.
In Taiwan, although Ragasa did not make direct landfall, its large circulation system brought heavy rainfall to the island’s eastern region. In Hualien, a landslide dam collapsed due to the rain, causing flash flooding downstream. The incident resulted in multiple casualties and forced thousands of residents to evacuate as risks persisted.
The impacts of Ragasa have varied across different countries.