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| Cows are stranded on the roof of a house in Gokseong, South Jeolla Province, Sunday, following the subsiding of floodwaters the day after they clambered on the roof during a flood amid a massive downpour in the region. / Yonhap |
By Jun Ji-hye
Korea, which has already suffered continued torrential downpours since Aug. 1 resulting in the deaths of dozens of people, will receive more rain at least until Tuesday, as another typhoon is approaching the country, the state-run weather agency said Sunday.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) warned of additional loss of life and property damage, noting that the central parts of the nation are expected to experience more than 500 millimeters of rainfall.
Typhoon Jangmi, which took shape 600 kilometers southeast of Okinawa at 3 a.m. Sunday, was moving northward, according to the weather agency.
The maximum wind speed of the fifth typhoon of the season near its center was 65 kilometers per hour, with a wind radius of 200 kilometers.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall on the southern coast Monday morning after skirting the eastern coast of Jeju Island, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.
"Thorough preparations for disasters such as flooding of low-lying ground and agricultural land, and landslides are necessary," a KMA official said.
Typhoon Jangmi immediately follows on after its predecessor Typhoon Hagupit, the fourth of the season, brought the initial torrential rain nationwide last week.
The weather agency said the entire country will receive rain under the influence of Jangmi, Monday, while central parts, along with South and North Jeolla provinces, will experience heavy downpours Tuesday.
"More than 500 millimeters of rainfall, along with strong winds, will be focused on the central regions until Tuesday, while southern areas including South Gyeongsang Province and Jeju Island will receive more than 300 millimeters of rainfall through Monday," the KMA official said.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 30 people have been confirmed dead, with 12 others still missing nationwide as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday due to the heavy rains. Thirteen more people have died in weather-related tragedies since 6 a.m. Friday.
More than half of the fatalities, or 16, were killed in landslides, the CDSCH noted.
The government's official record of the number of casualties caused by the deadly downpours did not include those from three vessels that capsized near Uiam Dam in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, which left three dead and three missing as of Sunday. This was because the CDSCH categorized this as a marine accident.
The CDSCH added it has received more than 9,000 reports of damage to facilities and infrastructure, including 3,000 roads and bridges.
Southern parts of the country including South Jeolla Province were hit hardest by the rainstorms, Saturday, with the Seomjin River bursting its banks.
The local office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said a stretch of the river's bank in Namwon, South Jeolla Province, collapsed at around 12:50 p.m., noting that the estimated damage stretched for about 100 meters.
Farmland and houses in the region were flooded, forcing local residents to evacuate.
Later the same day, a landslide occurred at around 4:42 p.m. in Jangsu County, North Jeolla Province, and buried one house. A married couple in their 50s were found dead, according to the local authorities.
The government designated seven cities and counties as special disaster zones, including Cheorwon in Gangwon Province and Chungju in North Chungcheong Province, paving the way for state support for losses of life and property damage due to the deadly downpours.
