According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as of 10 a.m. on September 25, Typhoon Ragasa had weakened into a tropical depression about 40 km east of Mong Cai (Quang Ninh), with wind speeds of level 7 (50 - 61 km/h) and gusts reaching level 9. The depression is expected to continue weakening rapidly into a low-pressure zone within the next few hours.

This marks a steep decline from its previous status as a super typhoon with maximum strength of level 17 when it entered the East Sea on the night of September 22.

Experts attribute the sharp weakening of Ragasa to a cold, dry air mass from the north moving toward Vietnam. This air mass had relatively low humidity, around 30-40%, and when the northern part of Ragasa’s circulation interacted with it near Guangdong (China), it caused the storm to lose strength.

Additionally, Ragasa’s path over Guangdong Province and the Leizhou Peninsula (China) exposed it to terrain friction, which disrupted the storm’s structure and reduced the energy it could draw from the ocean. These combined factors led to its rapid weakening as it approached Vietnam’s coastline.

Although now just a tropical depression, the storm's circulation still causes widespread rainfall from the Northern region to Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces from the morning of September 25 until the night of September 26. Rainfall is expected to reach 100-200mm, with some areas seeing over 300mm. Residents are advised to stay alert for potential flash floods, landslides, and urban flooding in low-lying areas due to the intense downpours.

Typhoon Ragasa originally formed as a tropical depression off the coast of the Philippines on September 18 and escalated dramatically into a super typhoon within three days. Upon entering the East Sea on the night of September 22, Ragasa reached a peak intensity of level 17, surpassing Typhoon Yagi of 2024 to become the most powerful storm recorded in the East Sea in the past 70 years.

Updates on Typhoon Bualoi: storm number 10 approaching

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as of 7 a.m. on September 25, Typhoon Bualoi was located near 10.8°N latitude and 129°E longitude, over the eastern waters of the Philippines. The storm's strongest winds near the center were at level 12 (118-133 km/h), with gusts up to level 15. It was moving northwest at 15-20 km/h.

Bualoi is forecast to enter the eastern part of the central East Sea by the night of September 26, becoming the 10th storm in the region for 2025.

Bao Anh