Killer typhoon pounds Japan, causes heavy rain, damage in Korea

Typhoon Lionrock landed in northern Japan, bringing heavy rains and strong winds to Korea. / AFP - Yonhap

By Lee Jin-a

Typhoon Lionrock slammed into northern Japan on Tuesday night, killing at least 10 people and causing heavy rain and strong winds along the Korean Peninsula.

At Ulleung Island, 120 kilometers east of the Korean Peninsula, nearly 400 millimeters of rain were recorded over four days, causing landslides. One person was injured and 12 houses and 15 vehicles damaged.

Some coastal roads in Goseong County and Gangneung, Gangwon Province, were damaged by high waves while a record-setting wind gust of 25.1 meters a second hit Jeju Island.

The Korean weather bureau said it will continue to rain until Wednesday afternoon and the mercury will drop to 19 degrees Celsius in the central region. In the northern region, the rain will continue until Thursday morning.

As the typhoon moved north across Japan on Tuesday night, it developed into a low-pressure system in the East Sea, bringing strong winds and heavy rain over the peninsula. The death toll in Japan included nine people from an elderly people’s home, police said. Around 3 a.m. Wednesday, the typhoon dissipated at sea, 270 kilometers east of Vladivostok, Russia.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said warm air will flow into Korea, along with a southeast wind, on Thursday and the mercury will rise again. It predicted Seoul’s temperature will reach 29 degrees Celsius on Thursday, 29 on Friday and 28 on Saturday.

“From Thursday noon, the weather will be hot again,” the KMA said. “However, strong winds will continue to strike the country, so citizens should take special care of their crops and facilities.”