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| Fishing boats are moving to the Jeju Island port in Hallim in preparation for Typhoon Danas, which is expected to hit the island on Saturday morning. / Yonhap |
By Kim Jae-heun
Typhoon Danas is expected to land on the Korean Peninsula early Saturday morning, bringing torrential rain, the national weather agency said Friday.
In particular, southern regions have been put on high alert for the season's fifth typhoon.
"The typhoon, although small in scale, can bring extreme and unusual rainfall to southern regions and Jeju Island," a Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) official said. "People need to be fully prepared."
According to the weather agency, Danas was traveling off China's coast at 22 kilometers per hour with an atmospheric pressure of 990 hectopascals at its center as of 1 p.m. Friday.
After passing west of Jeju Island early Saturday, the storm is forecast to make landfall in South Jeolla Province. It will move further into North Gyeongsang Province before crossing to the East Sea near the coastal city of Pohang on Saturday night.
"As the typhoon makes its way north, it is expected to bring more rain that will continue until Saturday night," the official said.
The KMA expects 700 millimeters of torrential rain in the mountainous areas of Jeju Island and rainfall from 50 millimeters to 150 millimeters in the Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions as well as the eastern part of Gangwon Province.
Precipitation in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and western Gangwon Province is forecast to be between 10 millimeters and 70 millimeters.
The KMA's regional branch on Jeju Island issued a high seas watch as of 6 a.m. on Friday.
Heavy rain watches issued on almost every part of the island have been upgraded to heavy rain warnings, with a strong wind warning.
The Jeju Provincial Office's emergency management team has activated level 1 of its emergency response while checking the water supply and drainage facilities.
Jeju International Airport issued wind shear and heavy rain alerts and a strong wind warning as of Friday morning.
A wind shear alert was lifted later in the day but 46 flights arriving at and departing from the island have been canceled and 150 have been delayed as of 4:30 p.m.
President Moon Jae-in urged the government to minimize potential damage from the typhoon by enhancing all preparations and emergency responses.
"Don't let your guard down. Prepare for it thoroughly," he was quoted as saying, by his spokesperson during the meeting held at the presidential office on Friday morning.
The Central Disaster Countermeasure Headquarters also raised its emergency level after Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young held a meeting with representatives from 17 cities and provinces.
Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong also called for full preparations.
"Because Danas is making its way up to the mainland through Jeju Island, we have to be fully ready for the typhoon and expect the worst-case scenario," Won said at the emergency management headquarters office on Jeju Island.
