One dead, one missing as Typhoon Khanun batters Korea

Social Affairs

Published: 10 Aug. 2023, 17:30

One dead, one missing as Typhoon Khanun batters Korea

A road leading to a village in Daegu is submerged by a flood caused by Typhoon Khanun on Thursday. [YONHAP]

At least one person died and another went missing in Daegu on Thursday as Typhoon Khanun slammed Korea, toppling trees and submerging cities and farms along its path.

Authorities said a 67-year-old man was found dead beneath a bridge in Daegu at around 1:10 p.m.

About half an hour later, firefighters in the same city received a report that a man in an electric wheelchair fell into a ditch and went missing. A search is underway.

Dozens of others throughout the nation were rescued from flooded roads and rivers as thousands of people were evacuated from their homes.

In Gumi, North Gyeongsang, a 400-year-old pine tree designated by the government as a natural monument was partially damaged.

A tree in Busan is toppled. [YONHAP]

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) predicted the typhoon to arrive 40 kilometers (24.9 miles) northeast of Cheongju, North Chungcheong, by 6 p.m., moving at speeds of 26 kilometers per hour (16.2 miles per hour).

By 9 p.m., Khanun was expected to reach 30 kilometers east-southeast of Seoul at speeds of 24 kilometers per hour.

By midnight, the typhoon was predicted to arrive 40 kilometers north of Seoul at speeds of 19 kilometers per hour, and travel at around 15 kilometers per hour after entering North Korea.

With slower speeds usually leading to increased damage, weather officials said the typhoon could cause flooding in downstream areas of rivers shared between the two Koreas, such as the Imjin River and Hantan River.

A 400-year-old “natural monument” pine tree in Gumi, North Gyeongsang, is partially damaged due to strong winds. [YONHAP]

Khanun landed in Geoje, South Gyeongsang, on Thursday morning and was seen 40 kilometers southwest of Andong, North Gyeongsang, as of 2 p.m. traveling at 38 kilometers per hour with a central pressure of 980 hectopascals and maximum winds speeds of 104 kilometers per hour, making it a “normal” typhoon.

In the KMA’s five-tier intensity classification, a “normal” typhoon falls into the second-weakest category, which is less powerful than the “strong” state Khanun exhibited on Wednesday.

Typhoon alerts were issued throughout the entire country on Thursday, as the KMA urged the public to avoid outdoor activities and stay clear of shorelines.

Most of the country is expected to experience rainfall until Friday even after the typhoon passes. Some areas in Gyeonggi could get rain until early Saturday morning, the KMA forecast.

The Seoul metropolitan area of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi is expected to get some 50 to 150 millimeters (2 to 6 inches) of rain, while Gangwon gets 100 to 200 millimeters and even above 300 millimeters in some areas.

The roof of a structure is seen collapsed onto parked vehicles. [YONHAP]

The Chungcheong region of Daejeon, Sejong, North Chungcheong and South Chungcheong is anticipated to get 50 to 100 millimeters of rain while the Jeolla region of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and Gwangju receives 10 to 100 millimeters.

In the Gyeongsang region, Daegu and North Gyeongsang are predicted to receive 50 to 100 millimeters of rain, while Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang receive 50 to 150 millimeters.

Jeju Island will likely see 5 to 10 millimeters of rainfall.

Temperatures will be lower than last week.

The KMA forecast the nationwide low on Friday to be 22 to 26 degrees Celsius (71.6 to 78.8 degrees Fahrenheit), with highs of 27 to 32 degrees. On Saturday, the low will be 21 to 25 degrees, with highs of 28 to 32 degrees.

A village in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, is submerged. [YONHAP]

At Jeju International Airport, more than 200 flights going to and coming from the southern resort island were canceled on Thursday amid strong winds. Ship operations near the island were also suspended.

Nationwide, nearly half of all kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools that had begun their fall semesters either closed, adjusted their schedules or switched to online learning to protect students from getting injured on their way to school.

In Busan, Ulsan and North Gyeongsang, not a single school held normal classes on Thursday. In contrast, schools in the Seoul metropolitan area mostly held normal classes, as the typhoon was expected to approach the region that night.

BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]