HONG KONG, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Observatory issued No. 8 Northwest Gale or Storm Signal for super typhoon Ragasa on Tuesday afternoon.

No. 8 signal was the third-highest warning under Hong Kong's weather system, which has five rankings for typhoons.

The observatory said that Ragasa was centered about 380 km southeast of Hong Kong at 2 p.m. local time. According to the present forecast, it will maintain super typhoon intensity and be closest to the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary on Wednesday morning, with local winds strengthening further.

Under the influence of storm surge, the water level is forecast to rise by around 2 meters over the coast of Hong Kong on Wednesday.

The observatory urged the public to take necessary precautions at home, stay away from dangerous places and pay attention to weather information. Enditem