Typhoon 'Khanun' with Maximum Wind Speed of 40m/s... Large Rocks May Fly and Cars Could Be Overturned

Power 'Strong' Maintained as Korea Landing Expected
Large Rocks Flying... Dong-sang Also Collapsed

The 6th typhoon of the season, 'Khanun,' is moving northward toward Jeju Island and the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula this afternoon (the 9th), and it is expected to affect the entire country on the second day. Since it is classified as a 'strong' typhoon, there are concerns that storm damage could be severe.

On the afternoon of the 9th, as Typhoon Khanun, the 6th typhoon, approaches the Korean Peninsula, strong waves are crashing at Gwangchigi Beach in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo City, Jeju. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the forecasted path released by the Korea Meteorological Administration, Khanun is expected to maintain its 'strong' intensity as it moves northward until around 3 a.m. on the 10th, reaching 120 km south of Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, offshore, before making landfall in Korea. It is expected to pass about 20 km southeast of Cheongju, Chungbuk, around 3 p.m. on the same day, at which point its intensity is expected to weaken somewhat to a 'medium' strength level.

Afterward, Khanun will still retain enough strength to be classified as a typhoon as it moves out to a point 90 km south-southwest of Kangye, Jagang Province, North Korea, by 3 p.m. on the 11th. This means it will traverse the Korean Peninsula vertically, dividing it east to west.

Satellite image around the Korean Peninsula and Typhoon Khanun (red circle) at 9:30 AM on the 9th. [Image source=National Meteorological Satellite Center]

Typically, typhoons weaken somewhat when they move inland from the sea. However, Khanun is expected to maintain its 'strong' intensity even upon landfall in Korea, and since its speed is not fast, it is anticipated to bring strong storm winds.

In parts of Koshima Prefecture, Japan, which experienced Khanun earlier than Korea, the Japan Meteorological Agency recorded a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 40 meters per second. Additionally, strong winds exceeding 25 meters per second were observed within a radius of 165 km from the typhoon's center.

Winds of 40 meters per second are strong enough to send large rocks flying and overturn cars on roads, while winds of 25 meters per second can tear umbrellas and blow away trash bins and signboards with ease.

Due to the impact of Typhoon Khanun, a statue has fallen on a street in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to reports from Japanese local media such as NHK and Kyodo News on the 8th (local time), damage was widespread in Okinawa Prefecture, where the typhoon's impact was felt, including the toppling of street lamps.

In Shibae, Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, a sudden downpour of 40 mm of rain fell within an hour during the early morning, and in Kurasaki City, Kagoshima Prefecture, 19,451 people across the city were ordered to evacuate.

JR Kyushu, which operates railway lines in the Kyushu region, temporarily suspended the operation of the Kyushu Shinkansen.

Similar levels of strong winds are expected in Korea as well. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, from today (the 9th) through the 10th, the maximum instantaneous wind speeds are forecasted as follows: 40 meters per second along the southern coast of Jeonnam and the Gyeongsang coast; 25 to 35 meters per second in Gangwon Yeongdong, inland Gyeongsang, Honam (excluding the southern coast), the western coast of Chungnam, and Jeju; 20 to 30 meters per second in Incheon, the western coast of Gyeonggi, southern Gyeonggi, Gangwon Yeongseo, and inland Chungcheong; and 15 to 25 meters per second in Seoul and northern inland Gyeonggi.

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