Dead and missing, thousands evacuated |
Typhoon hits South Korea
At least three people have died in South Korea as a result of Typhoon “Hinnamor”, and six others are still missing as of Tuesday night (local time) in particularly affected areas in the south of the country. This came in what was reported by the “Korea Times”, citing information from the authorities.
Thousands of people had to evacuate their homes for safety reasons. South Korean television stations reported that more than 89,000 homes were temporarily without electricity.
Huge waves crash against a sea wall in Busan
Hinnamnor is the strongest typhoon to hit parts of South Korea this year. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the tropical cyclone made its way to the southern coast of the mainland in the early morning before moving northeast again about two and a half hours later. The hurricane brought strong winds and torrential rain.
Blocks of water washed away this building in Pohang
In Pohang on the southeast coast, rescue workers have been searching for seven missing since morning, suspected of being in a flooded underground car park in an apartment complex. According to the Korea Times, two of them were recovered alive late in the evening. Car owners tried to save their car from the increasing flood. A 66-year-old woman was found dead in another flooded underground car park in Pohang.
Also in Pohang, an elderly woman died after being swept away by torrents on the road. In Gyeongju, rescuers found the body of another woman buried under lumps of mud in her home.
A ruined street in Busan
Nearly 3,500 people were moved to safety due to the cyclone. It also recommended about 15,000 people to leave their homes in areas threatened by landslides and floods. Roads were flooded and many buildings and infrastructure were damaged in the south of Jeju Island and elsewhere in the south.
A man walks past a tornado-damaged building in Busan
Woman taking a photo of waves with Busan skyline in the background
The Korean Peninsula is subject to many typhoons every summer and early fall. “Hinnamnor” was the eleventh typhoon this year. A typhoon warning was issued in North Korea. And state media there reported that leader Kim Jong Un chaired a meeting with officials in Pyongyang on Sunday and Monday to review protection measures. (body weight/dc)
