Typhoon Sanba brings heavy rains, power outages

Typhoon Sanba, the 16th storm of this year to hit Korea and the third in 15 days after Bolaven and Tembin, has inflicted massive damage to parts of the country.

This is the first time for Korea to see three consecutive typhoons hitting the country in such a short period since the nation started meteorological surveys.

According to the National Emergency Management Agency, Sanba caused torrential rains in the southern provinces, including 399 millimeters in Jeju, 323 millimeters in Changwon, and 295 millimeters in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province, as of 3 p.m. Monday.

Jindallaebat in Mount Halla on Jeju saw 829 millimeters of rain and Mount Toham in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, saw 484 millimeters as mountainous regions posted record precipitation. Powerful winds also struck, with the automatic weather survey device installed on Pyeong Island in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, recording gusty winds of 43.9 meters per second.

One person in Gyeongju was injured after her home was buried by a landslide caused by rain and powerful winds. In addition, 29 people in 15 households had their homes damaged or submerged, while 382,000 households lost power.

The highest flood alert was issued for the downstream Nakdong River, a first in six years. As a result, the central and provincial governments ordered more than 1,100 residents in six cities and provinces to evacuate and had 12,000 others on evacuation standby.

Typhoon Sanba passed Korea through the Sokcho region of Gangwon Province around 7 p.m., but the Yeongdong region in the province and the East Sea will likely continue to be affected by gusty winds through Tuesday morning.

starsky@donga.com