Super Typhoon 'Hinnamnor' Raises Fears of Autumn Typhoon Nightmare... How to Prevent Damage

Possibility of Landfall Stronger Than 'Sara' and 'Maemi'
Concerns Over Human and Property Damage...Preparation Needed

As Typhoon Hin Nam No moves northward toward the Korean Peninsula, fishing boats have taken shelter at Seogwipo Port, Jeju, on the morning of the 2nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] With the radius of strong winds from Typhoon No. 11 'Hinnamnor' (HINNAMNOR) including Jeju, the southern coast, and the Gyeongsang coast, concerns about damage from autumn typhoons are being raised. Since there have been casualties and property damage caused by autumn typhoons in the past, preparations are expected to be necessary for homes, commercial establishments, and others.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), at 9 a.m. on the 2nd, Hinnamnor was moving north-northwest at a speed of 2 km/h as a 'very strong' typhoon, passing about 560 km southeast of Taipei, Taiwan. The predicted path of Hinnamnor has moved closer to Busan compared to the previous day's KMA announcement. According to the KMA forecast at 10 a.m. that day, Hinnamnor is expected to pass 500 km south-southwest of Seogwipo City, Jeju, at 9 a.m. on the 5th with a 'very strong' intensity, and then reach 90 km southwest of Busan at 9 a.m. on the 6th with a 'strong' intensity.

As it moves north, maintaining and intensifying its strength, it is expected to become a 'super typhoon' again when it reaches 280 km northeast of Taipei at 9 a.m. on the 4th. At its peak, Hinnamnor is classified as a 'super typhoon' with a central pressure of 915 hPa (hectopascal) and a maximum wind speed of 55 m/s. A super typhoon is defined as having a maximum wind speed of 54 m/s or higher, which can cause building collapses; representative examples include Typhoon Maemi (2003).

The news that Hinnamnor is moving north with strong intensity has heightened tension due to numerous concerns about damage caused by autumn typhoons. On September 12, 2003, the day after Chuseok, Typhoon Maemi affected Jeju with strong winds. Maximum instantaneous wind speeds of 60 m/s were observed in Jeju and Gosan. The typhoon caused 130 casualties and property damage amounting to 4 trillion won. Other notable autumn typhoons that caused significant casualties and property damage in Korea include 'Nari' in September 2007 and 'Chaba' in October 2016.

Typhoon Hinnamnor began moving slowly northward at about 4 km/h on the morning of the 2nd, passing 580 km southeast of Taipei, Taiwan. Photo by Korea Meteorological Administration website capture [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the KMA, the predicted path of Hinnamnor is similar to that of Chaba. Upon landfall in Korea, the central pressure and maximum wind speed are expected to be 950 hPa and 43 m/s, respectively. The lower the central pressure, the stronger the typhoon; if the current forecast holds, Hinnamnor will make landfall stronger than 'Sarah' (1959) and 'Maemi' (2003), which were among the strongest typhoons to hit Korea.

Such predictions call for special typhoon prevention measures. At home, it is important to prevent window shaking by taping between the window and frame or by thickly folding paper and fixing it to the frame. Previously known methods such as taping an 'X' on glass windows or attaching newspapers may be less effective depending on the typhoon's strength.

In commercial areas, it is necessary to secure or bring inside easily blown objects such as roofs, signboards, and flowerpots. Residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas should evacuate to safe places in advance to prepare for the typhoon. It is advisable to refrain from going out in areas expected to be strongly affected. If going out is unavoidable, avoid walking near hazardous facilities such as signboards.

Meanwhile, Woo Jin-gyu, the chief forecaster at the KMA, urged preparedness, saying, "Typhoon damage that has never been anticipated before may occur." Real-time disaster situations and action guidelines can be checked through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's National Disaster Safety Portal or the smartphone app 'Safe Didimdol.'

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