Typhoons can cause chaos in Asia, and the latest super typhoon is no different. Super Typhoon Ragasa is an active storm moving through the continent. It has so far passed through the Philippines, Taiwan, and is now affecting South China and Hong Kong.
Along the way, the typhoon caused disruption to the gambling hub of Macau. The Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China is positioned in South China, next to Hong Kong, laying right in the path of the huge storm.
the first typhoon-forced closure since September 2023
Casinos in the region have only just reopened after a 33-hour closure due to the storm. Gamblers could once again return to their blackjack, roulette, and real money slots following the opening at 2am on Thursday morning. It marked the first casino shutdown in Macau this year, and the first typhoon-forced closure since September 2023, with that instance lasting just nine hours.
The impact on the gambling hub was substantial. Low-lying areas in the SAR suffered from flooding with water levels reaching 1.5 meters at the Inner Harbour district. Power has since been restored after a temporary power cut to help post-storm repairs.
The storm made landfall on the coast of Beihai in China’s Guangxi Zhuang region on Thursday. However, it has since weakened to a tropical storm. China has begun it’s cleanup of cities affected by the typhoon. Meanwhile, Taiwan announced that 14 have died as a result of the natural phenomenon. Officials are still searching for 33 missing persons.
