Powerful typhoon approaching Korean Peninsula
By Lee Jin-a, Park Si-soo
Tropical storm Nepartak, which is forecast to grow into a powerful typhoon, is approaching the Korean Peninsula, the state weather agency said Tuesday.
As of 4 a.m., the storm, which is unleashing heavy rain and gusty winds, is moving northwest from waters 730 kilometers west of Guam, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.
Nepartak is forecast to strike Japan’s Okinawa on Thursday and then sweep through Taiwan and southeast China. The Korean Peninsula is expected to be affected on Saturday, the KMA said. Torrential rain is expected to continue through Wednesday and the nation stay wet until the weekend.
The KMS has not ruled out the possibility of the typhoon changing direction and hitting the peninsula.
“Heavy rain will continue in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province until Thursday,” a KMA official said. “After a short break, the rain is expected to return this weekend with this year’s first typhoon, Nepartak.”
The typhoon is forecast to dissipate next week and be downgraded to a tropical storm on Sunday.