Fishing boats are anchored at a dock in Busan, Sunday, to evacuate from Typhoon Sanba which approached Jeju Island and is headed north. The typhoon is expected to be as devastating as Maemi which killed 132 people in 2003. / Korea Times photo by Lee Sung-deuk

By Yun Suh-young

Typhoon Sanba will bring heavy downpours throughout the nation as it is forecast to reach the peninsular today, the weather agency said Sunday.

The typhoon, which approached Jeju Island late Sunday night, was moving north bringing strong winds and heavy rain with it.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that the nation will be under the influence of Typhoon Sanba from Monday until Tuesday morning and issued a typhoon advisory for the southern coastline and Jeju Island.

As of Sunday morning, the typhoon was moving north at a speed of 26 kilometers per hour from 80 kilometers off the northeastern coast of Okinawa Island in Japan. Houses were flooded and about 36,000 households experienced a power outage in the island.

The Okinawa weather agency held an emergency press briefing asking for thorough preparations stressing the danger of this typhoon.

As an exception the agency held a briefing when Typhoon Bolaven hit the nation last month. It is worried that citizens’ alertness fell after Bolaven brought less damage than expected in the capital.

The Korean weather agency also warned of the danger of Typhoon Sanba.

“As the typhoon is moving north bringing strong winds and heavy rains until Monday morning, we advise people to thoroughly prepare for the typhoon,” the KMA said.

“Jeju Island and southern and eastern coastal regions will see heavy rainfall of 50 millimeters per hour and over 300 millimeters of rain in total,” it said.

“The nation will fall under the influence of Typhoon Sanba starting with Jeju Island late Sunday evening. The typhoon will move up to the southern coast of the peninsula during the night and the whole nation will see heavy downpours on Monday. The rain will continue until Tuesday morning and clear off starting from the central regions,” it said.

The typhoon will speed up as it moves northward and pass through the nation at the speed of 40 kilometers per hour Monday night into North Korea.

Sanba is the third typhoon to approach South Korea in the past month, following Bolaven and Tembin in late August.

Officials said Sanba could be one of the most devastating typhoons to ever hit the country, almost as devastating as Maemi, which left 132 dead and caused massive property damage in 2003.

Meanwhile, Jeju Island was putting measures into effect to prevent casualties from the typhoon. The island’s education office announced a temporary closure of all schools on Monday and advised students to stay at home until the typhoon passes.