Typhoon Hinnamnor exits S. Korea after dumping rain, winds

Typhoon leaves 1 dead, 1 injured, 2 missing, thousands displaced as of Tuesday morning

A wave caused by Typhoon Hinnamnor hits the waterfront in Busan, South Korea, September 6, 2022. Yonhap/via REUTERS

SEOUL  — Typhoon Hinnamnor departed South Korea on Tuesday after making landfall in the country’s south, leaving thousands of people displaced and one dead, authorities said.

The typhoon left the Korean peninsula about 7:10 a.m. through waters off the southeastern city of Ulsan after landing on the coastal city of Geoje, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

As of 11 a.m., the typhoon was travelling northeast at about 62 kilometres per hour (38 mph), and expected to pass some 420 km west of Sapporo, Japan, at 9 p.m.

Typhoon warnings were lifted across most parts of the country except in some regions, including the southern Ulsan, North Gyeongsang province and the eastern Gangwon province.

President Yoon Suk-yeol has urged officials to take precautions until the typhoon is completely gone, his spokesperson said.

People stand at a shopping district damaged by Typhoon Hinnamnor in Busan, South Korea, September 6, 2022. Yonhap/via REUTERS

In the southeastern city of Pohang, a resident was swept away and killed by strong currents while trying to evacuate, while the typhoon also left one injured and two others missing as of Tuesday morning, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said. The casualty numbers could rise as authorities continue rescue operations.

About 2,900 people are still evacuated, mostly in the southern regions, and more than 66,000 homes experienced power outages, with 45 percent of service restored as of 11 a.m.

The military has mobilised amphibious vehicles for rescue operations, the defence ministry said.

The typhoon has forced hundreds of flight cancellations, suspension of business operations and school closings.

A signboard is seen damaged by Typhoon Hinnamnor in Changwon, South Korea, September 6, 2022. Yonhap/via REUTERS

A spokesperson for Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (042660.KS)said there were no incidents at its shipyard so far, and it halted production during Tuesday morning as planned.

Shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (329180.KS) said it planned to resume work on Tuesday afternoon. Both shipyards were located in or near the path of the typhoon.

A POSCO spokesperson said a byproduct gas release at the company’s Pohang plant in the morning was caused by a typhoon-related power outage.

The neighbouring North also braced for damage from the typhoon, with leader Kim Jong Un presiding over a two-day meeting on disaster prevention work and releasing water from a dam near its border with South Korea.

South Korea has repeatedly urged the North to give notice before releasing water from the dam as it could result in flooding downstream but Pyongyang has remained unresponsive. | Soo-hyang Choi with Joyce Lee and Heekyong Yang