Typhoon Khanun makes landfall in S.Korea, disrupts air traffic

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Tropical Typhoon Khanun made landfall along South Korea’s southern coast on Thursday, disrupting air traffic across the country.

Around 450 flights were grounded across the country, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the typhoon, which lashed parts of Japan in the past few days, “is on course to traverse the entire peninsula during the day bringing heavy rain and strong winds.”

As a precautionary measure, South Korea on Tuesday began evacuating around 43,000 participants of the 25th World Scout Jamboree from the western Saemangeum Reclaimed Area.

Organized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement, the mega camping had begun on Aug. 1 and was scheduled to conclude by Saturday. Now authorities will hold a K-pop concert in the capital Seoul to mark the end of the disrupted events.

Meanwhile, Japan Meteorological Agency said the typhoon was “moving northward in the Tsushima Strait on Thursday, bringing record rainfall to southwestern and western Japan.”

The weather agency said Kochi province saw 332.5 mm of rainfall in a six-hour period through Thursday morning, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The typhoon had engulfed southwestern Japan's Kagoshima and Kumamoto provinces bringing in heavy winds and downpours, affecting railway services, flights, and electricity.​​​​​​​

Over a dozen people were injured.

China, which saw massive destruction due to Typhoon Doksuri, has activated a level-IV emergency response against Typhoon Khanun in the northeastern parts of the country.

"Heavy rains and strong winds are expected from Thursday to Sunday due to the storm. Rainstorms will also lash areas south of the Yangtze River in the coming days," broadcaster CGTN reported.

At least three people died while two others are missing due to floods in the mountainous area in Baiyin city of northwestern Gansu province on Thursday, Beijing-based Global Times reported.