One injured, hundreds evacuated in Korea as Typhoon Nanmadol approaches

Firefighters tend to a tree that fell over in the wake of Typhoon Nanmadol in Ulsan on Monday. [YONHAP]

Strong winds brought on by Typhoon Nanmadol have toppled trees and caused power outages in southeastern Korea, leaving one person injured and hundreds others evacuated, officials said Monday.

With a central atmospheric pressure of 960 hectopascals and a maximum wind speed of 39 meters per second (87 miles per hour), this year's 14th typhoon was moving north from near Japan's Kagoshima at a speed of 11 miles per hour as of 6 a.m., according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

Nanmadol is expected to come closest to the southeastern port city of Busan at 10 a.m. before moving out to waters west of Japan's Osaka at 3 p.m.

The typhoon has brought some 50 millimeters (2 inches) of rains in Korea's southeastern Gyeongsang region, including Busan and Ulsan. Busan was experiencing strong winds of up to 33.9 meters per second.

One person has sustained minor injuries in Busan after a flowerpot fell over at a subway station. Power was out for up to three hours for hundreds of households in Ulsan between Sunday night and Monday morning.

A total of 772 people from 620 households in North Gyeongsang, Busan and elsewhere have evacuated for safety concerns while 101 households in Busan and Ulsan suffered power outages.

Some 50 vessels on 43 routes have been suspended while more than 33 train schedules have been canceled or rescheduled in the wake of Nanmadol.

Through the afternoon, regions around the southeastern Gyeongsang coast are forecast to see winds of up to 35 meters per second and rains of up to 30 millimeters per hour, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

Yonhap