Typhoon Strikes to Cause 100 Casualties

Maemi, the 14th typhoon accompanied by absurd gale and downpour, struck the Korean Peninsula doing terrible damage to human lives and properties to cause more than 100 people to die or disappear and approximately 10,000 people from 3,500 families to lose their homes.

The Central Disaster Prevention and Countermeasures Headquarters reported on the 13th that there was heavy rainfall ranging from 10 to 450mm nationwide, with 452.5mm in Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province, and 397mm in Daegwanryeong. It also notified that Maemi passed through Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province at about 2:30 on the 13th to the East Sea. Flood warning is issued at 5 of Nakdong River area as of Sep. 13th.

‘Maemi’ renewed the highest instant wind velocity record of 58.3 m/sec. marked by `Prapiroon` in August 2000, reaching almost 60m/sec. This is the highest since meteorological observation in 1904.

Damage to Human Life and Properties

There was severe damage with heavy rainfall, landslide and tidal waves burying houses and buildings. Confirmed casualties (as of 5:00 p.m., 13th) are 46 nationwide and 36 missing. The number is increasing as time passes, and is expected to exceed 100 in the end. The damage confirmed regionally is as the following:△ South Gyeongsang Province 18, 19(number of deaths and the missing) △ Daegu and North Gyeongsand Province 9, 5 △ South Jeolla Province 7, 3. Total property loss is assumed to be over 1 trillion won.

On the 13th, Haewun Plaza building at Haewun-dong Masan Geyongnam turned out to be submerged with approximately 10 people buried within, and a landslide swoop down houses in Socheon-myeon Bonghwa-gun North Gyeongsang Province to bury a whole family of 3.

Eight hundred houses and 3,600ha of farmland are flooded in Gangwon, Ulsan and South Jeolla districts, 24 bridges are damaged and 86 vessels went down or broke down.

Also, 13 container cranes at Shingamman Wharf at Busan Harbor overturned or seceded from the rail to outbreak billion won of loss.

Various Accidents and Traffic Stoppage

Strong wind cut off high-tension wire in several places and resulted in power failure to 1,468,000 families.

The power recovery to 108 million families is completed at present, but for some regions including Geoje, Masan, Changwon in South Gyeongsng Province and Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province, the power will be supplied only after the 16th when the power transmission tower is restored.

Five nuclear power plants at Gyeongnam Gori, Gyeongbuk Wolseong, etc. stopped operation due to tidal waves and strong wind. Korea Electric Power Corporation notified, “The power plants will be operated again from the 15th, and there is no damage by exterior radioactivity leakage.”

As for the railroad, the traffic was suspended in 5 routes at 10 regions including the Yeongdong line due to train derailment and railway line breakdown. The train service at some districts including Yeongdong and Taebaek line has stopped at present, the night of 13th.

Three passenger coaches of a Saemaeul train went off the railroad due to landslide causing injuries to 28 passengers on the 13th, at dawn. Two spots in the expressway, 28,9Km to Masan direction and 132.5Km to Daegu direction are interrupted with vehicles taking roundabout ways by the national road.

Jong-Hoon Lee taylor55@donga.com