Pakistan’s trade routes, travel plans likely to feel the heat
HONG KONG / LAHORE – Southern Chinese cities came to a grinding halt on Tuesday as Super Typhoon Ragasa forced school and business closures, flight cancellations, and mass evacuations. The storm, one of the strongest in years, has already claimed at least three lives in the Philippines and displaced tens of thousands before entering the South China Sea.
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In Hong Kong and Macao, schools were shut, shelters were opened, and hundreds of flights grounded as winds gusted above 200 kph. The Hong Kong Observatory hoisted the No. 8 storm signal, warning residents to brace for surging tides of up to five meters in some coastal areas — a level not seen since Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018.
The storm is now on course to slam into Guangdong province between Taishan and Zhanjiang. More than 370,000 people have already been relocated, with Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Foshan, and Hainan province ordering a blanket suspension of classes, businesses, and flights.
While the storm’s immediate impact is centered on China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines, its ripple effects are expected to be felt as far as Pakistan. Analysts warn that:
• Trade and shipping routes could face disruption, as Guangdong and Shenzhen are hubs for exports linked to Pakistani textile, electronics, and industrial imports.
• Flight cancellations and delays on the China-Pakistan route may hit business and student travelers in the coming days.
• Commodity supply chains, particularly electronics, machinery, and chemicals imported from southern China, could slow down, affecting Pakistani markets.
In Taiwan, more than 7,000 people were evacuated after torrential rains caused landslides and swept away roads and bridges. Meanwhile, the Philippines continues rescue efforts after landslides buried villages, leaving at least three dead and five missing.
Officials in Hong Kong compared the current threat to Typhoon Hato (2017) and Mangkhut (2018), which caused combined losses of nearly $750 million.
With the storm still intensifying, experts caution that disruptions to regional shipping and aviation links could spill over into South Asia, potentially delaying imports critical for Pakistan’s industries.
