Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong Province in China on Tuesday prepared for the arrival of one of the strongest typhoons in years. Schools and businesses were closed, and flights were canceled.

Super Typhoon Ragasa has already proved deadly, killing at least three people in the Philippines and displacing thousands of others.

Where is Super Typhoon Ragasa headed?

The Hong Kong Observatory said that the weather system was carrying maximum sustained winds of some 220 kilometers per hour (about 140 miles per hour) and was slowly moving to the northwest over the South China Sea.

The monitoring station on Tuesday afternoon raised the typhoon signal to Number 8, the city's third-highest alert, shutting most businesses and transport services and disrupting about 700 flights. The alert level could still be upgraded.

The observatory forecasts hurricane-force winds offshore and on high ground on Wednesday, with heavy rain likely to trigger a major storm and sea surge.

Sea levels could rise about two meters along coastal areas and reach four to five meters in some areas, similar to the surges during Typhoons Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018, which caused billions of dollars in damage.

How is South China preparing for the typhoon?

China has ordered sweeping precautions as Typhoon Ragasa nears, a move affecting tens of millions of people and hampering production at thousands of factories across its manufacturing belt.

Guangdong's emergency management bureau said Ragasa is expected to make landfall along the province's central and western coast.

"Key areas should decisively adopt measures... fully ensuring the safety of people's lives and property, and minimising disaster losses to the greatest extent," said a statement from the bureau.

In the technology hub of Shenzhen, authorities have ordered the evacuation of 400,000 residents and warned of severe wind, rain, waves, and floods.

"Except for emergency rescue personnel and those ensuring people's livelihood, please do not go out casually," city authorities said.

Beforehand, residents queued for supplies as officials distributed sandbags to protect low-lying homes. Milk and meat sold out in some supermarkets and vegetable prices reportedly tripled at fresh-produce markets.

Residents of the world's largest gambling hub, Macau, were also bracing for heavy impact from Typhoon Ragasa, with all casinos ordered to close by late Tuesday afternoon.

What damage has Super Typhoon Ragasa done so far?

The typhoon swept through the northern Philippines on Monday, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to place the national disaster agency on full alert and mobilize government departments.

Ragasa has killed at least three people, left five missing and displaced more than 17,500 in flooding and landslides across the Philippines, the national disaster agency and provincial officials said.

Authorities reported that a 74-year-old man died while being taken to a hospital after mud, rocks and trees buried four vehicles on a narrow road Monday in Tuba, Benguet province. Two other villagers were killed, including a resident of Calayan town in northern Cagayan province, where the storm made landfall.

Meanwhile, Taiwan has recorded nearly 60 centimeters of rain in its mountainous east and reported 25 injuries. Transport disruptions there continued for a second day on Tuesday, with 273 flights canceled.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko