By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Following on the heels of Nari a second typhoon is approaching the Korean peninsula. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Monday that typhoon Wipha is currently heading north toward the west coast of the nation at high speed.
``Jeju Island and South and North Jeolla provinces will be see indirect effects from the typhoon by Tuesday afternoon,'' said a KMA official. ``Along with Jeju Island, the west and south coasts are likely to be hit by the typhoon from Wednesday.''
As of 9 p.m. Monday, Wipha is located 420 kilometers south of Okinawa with an atmospheric pressure of 975 hectopascals at its center and a radius of about 330 kilometers.
Typhoon Nari, which smashed ashore on Jeju Island and southwestern parts of the peninsula Sunday, lost power Monday morning and disappeared off the East Sea.
A total of 18 people were confirmed dead and two were missing nationwide the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said.
On Jeju Island alone, which was hit hardest by the typhoon, 11 people were killed Sunday night and two were reported missing, the NEMA said.
About 940 people were evacuated to shelters nationwide.
More than 380 houses and 19,000 hectares of farmland were inundated across the country. Thirty-seven fishing boats were destroyed or capsized.
As the record amount of rainfall of 590mm pounded Jeju Island until Sunday night, 325 houses were submerged on the island alone.
Most regions in southern parts of the country including Jangheung and Goheung also had more than 250mm of rain.