Bricks Rolled from the Breakwater by Waves Scattered
Parking Lot Deeply Pitted Mudflat
Long-Term Power and Communication Outages
Some Residents Trapped in Flooded Homes
17 Buildings Flooded, 23 Households Displaced

Due to the impact of Typhoon Maysak, the 9th typhoon to sweep across the Korean Peninsula, the waterfront area next to Gampo Port in Gampo-eup, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk, became a scene of chaos on the 4th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Due to the impact of Typhoon Maysak, the 9th typhoon to sweep across the Korean Peninsula, the waterfront area next to Gampo Port in Gampo-eup, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk, became a scene of chaos on the afternoon of the 4th.

The waterfront area, created by reclaiming the sea south of Gampo Port, housed a large park and parking lot completed in 2018. However, on the 4th, neither the park nor the parking lot could be found there.

As Typhoon Maysak passed through the Korean Peninsula on the 3rd, waves surged and turned the area into a wasteland. Waves reaching up to 15 meters overtopped the breakwater and struck the waterfront area, digging up the grass and soil to a depth of about 3 meters. The uppermost part of the breakwater, called Sangchi, had concrete and bricks scattered dozens of meters away due to the fierce waves.

Due to the impact of Typhoon Maysak, the 9th typhoon that swept across the Korean Peninsula, the waterfront area next to Gampo Port in Gampo-eup, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk, became a scene of chaos on the 4th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Most trees were toppled, and high-voltage cable wires were exposed in various places. The parking lot turned into a muddy field, and bricks that had rolled down from Sangchi were scattered everywhere.

The villages around Gampo Port were submerged under about 1 meter of water due to waves that overtopped the breakwater. Seventeen buildings, including motels and shops next to the Gyeongju city parking lot, were flooded, and 23 households were reported as flood victims. Some residents trapped in flooded houses were rescued by the 119 rescue team, and due to prolonged power and communication outages, damage reports were not properly conveyed.

Due to the impact of Typhoon Maysak, the 9th typhoon to sweep across the Korean Peninsula, the waterfront area next to Gampo Port in Gampo-eup, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, became a scene of chaos on the 4th.

One resident said, "Even when trying to leave the house, the door was blocked and calls did not go through, so I desperately shouted for help," adding, "I literally screamed to survive." Residents raised suspicions that the damage was worsened because of the creation of the waterfront area, saying, "I have lived in Gampo for over 70 years, but this is the first time experiencing such damage."

Gyeongju city deployed heavy equipment such as excavators and trucks for recovery efforts. Fire station staff, volunteer firefighters, and Marine Corps personnel also lent their support.

To make matters worse, with the news of the northward approach of Typhoon Haishen, the 10th typhoon, residents remain on high alert.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.