Typhoon Ragasa Hits Southern China, Forces Foxconn to Halt iPhone Assembly Amid Widespread Disruptions

Typhoon Ragasa hit Hong Kong promenades and turned seas rough on the southern Chinese coast on September 24 after leaving deadly destruction in Taiwan and the Philippines, according to Moneycontrol.

The storm resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights, school classes and the suspension of train services in Taiwan and ended up claiming 14 lives in a flooded rural area of southeastern Taiwan, whereas, 10 deaths were reported in the Philippines, according to Bloomberg.

The southern Chinese economic powerhouse has witnessed the relocation of about 1.9 million people across Guangdong province. A weather station in Chuandao town recorded maximum gusts of 241 kph (about 150 mph) at noon, a high in Jiangmen city since record-keeping began. Huge waves battered Zhuhai city’s coastline and strong winds buffeted trees under intense rain. Fallen branches were scattered on the streets, reported Associated Press.

Citing the national weather agency forecast, Associated Press further reported that the severe typhoon is expected to make landfall between the cities of Yangjiang and Zhanjiang on the evening of September 24, leading to suspension of schools, factories and transportation services in about a dozen cities.

The fierce winds, brought by Ragasa, once a super typhoon, woke Hong Kong residents in the early hours, and many went online to describe scenes such as a kitchen ventilation fan being blown down and a crane swaying.

The National Meteorological Centre predicted that in addition to high winds, rain between 25cm to 45cm (9 to 17 inches) and waves as high as 7 metres (23 feet) would be expected, reported South China Morning Post.

The typhoon was forecast to make landfall between Taishan and Xuwen county in western Guangdong on Wednesday afternoon or evening, and heavy rainfall and wind would continue through Thursday, according to Guangdong’s weather forecaster.

Industrial Disruption Hits Apple Supply Chain

The typhoon’s impact is also disrupting China’s industrial production and global supply chains. In southern Guangdong province, the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer and a crucial assembler for Apple, Foxconn Technology Group, suspended work at its Shenzhen unit on September 23.

The South China Morning Post reported that the new iPhone 17 models started shipping last week. The Product Enclosure Business Group is in charge of the iPhone's high-speed connectors, memory and other mechanical parts. This sudden environmental disruption has severely impacted global supply chains.

Foxconn further announced via a subsidiary’s WeChat account that production will resume once the government notifies the easing of typhoon-related risks.