Ragasa spurs early preparations as residents and businesses brace for impact 

As the weather forecast predicts severe conditions later today and Wednesday, precautionary measures are in place in key urban areas throughout the city.

By 3:30 p.m. today, many retailers had shuttered their doors early in commercial districts, including Rua de Campo, Avenida Horta e Costa, and the surrounding area of the Almirante Lacerda Municipal Market (Red Market).

Many shop windows were reinforced with tape, while restaurants, residential buildings, supermarkets, and banks placed sandbags at entrances to mitigate against water damage caused by anticipated storm surges or, in low-lying areas, flooding.

Concern over damage has led to a surge in demand for protective materials, forcing shortages. The question of “to tape or not to tape” remains a point of debate among businesses and residents as they fortify against Ragasa’s force.

At a homeware shop in Horta e Costa, Liu, a local employee, said, “During this weekend, we sold hundreds of rolls of masking tape just in the morning. Today, we don’t have any duct tape to sell to customers […] no new supplies are coming in.”

Meanwhile, shelter preparations are well underway. As of 2:15 p.m., 44 residents, primarily neighbourhood residents, had taken refuge in local shelters. According to the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS), shelters are stocked with essentials, including food supplies like bread and biscuits, mattresses, and quilts.

Several residents were observed arriving at Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion Hall B, which is staffed with medical personnel and IAS staff members offering support.

Seventeen shelters and four assembly points have opened across the city, collectively accommodating roughly 24,000 individuals.

Nadia Shaw