Typhoon Khanun heads to Korean Peninsula

The sixth typhoon of the season, Typhoon Khanun is expected to land in South Korea on Thursday morning. The Korea Meteorological Administration expected that the tropical storm accompanying heavy rain and strong winds would arrive at the southern coast of the country to make its way to Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province through to Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province and Seoul and end up in North Korea. It is the first typhoon since weather forecasts were first surveyed in 1951 that cuts through the Korean peninsula from south to north.

Approaching the peninsula’s southern coast between South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla Provinces at around 3 a.m. on Thursday, it is projected to land on the area 40 kilometers northwest of Tongyeong at 9 a.m. or so with an intensity of being strong (central pressure: 33 to 44 m/s). Afterward, it will likely move northward to pass by the area 20 kilometers southeast of Cheongju at 3 p.m. to be situated 30 kilometers west of Seoul at 9 p.m. On Wednesday, one day before the arrival of Khanun, the whole country came under its influence with a typhoon warning issued across the coastal areas of Jeju Island, South Gyeongsang, and Jeolla Provinces.

The nearing typhoon travels at half the speed of typical ones. Consequently, the Yeongdong region in Gangwon Province and the Yeongam region will suffer a rainfall of up to 600 and 400 millimeters, respectively, by Thursday. Winds of 25 to 40 m/s will be strong enough to derail trains and overthrow vehicles. Areas hard hit last month by localized torrential downpours are again on high alert as the typhoon is expected to deal a critical blow.


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