Kanun, 246 Dead or Missing, Path Similar to 'Rusa'... First 'North-South Crossing Typhoon' in 70 Years Predicted

Could It Be the First Case Since 1951?
"Thorough Preparation Is Essential"

The 6th typhoon of the season, Typhoon Khanun, currently moving northward toward the Korean Peninsula, is expected to be the first typhoon since 1951 to traverse the peninsula from south to north. Due to this unprecedented path, experts emphasize the need for thorough preparation.

On the afternoon of the 9th, Typhoon Khanun, the 6th typhoon of the season, is approaching the Korean Peninsula, and strong waves are raging along the coast of Samdal-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Typhoon Rusa, which made landfall on the Goheung Peninsula in Jeollanam-do on August 31, 2002, and crossed diagonally through South Korea until it exited into the East Sea the next day, has a path similar to the predicted route of Khanun. During Rusa, there were 246 deaths and missing persons, and property damage amounted to approximately 5.1479 trillion won. This ranks as the 4th largest in terms of human casualties and the largest in property damage among typhoons since 1951.

Notably, on August 31, 2002, when Rusa passed, Gangneung City in Gangwon Province recorded 870.5 mm of rainfall in a single day, the highest daily precipitation ever recorded in South Korea's meteorological history.

The typhoon that caused the greatest human casualties in South Korea was Typhoon Sarah, which occurred on September 12, 1959. Sarah was a powerful "super typhoon" with a minimum central pressure of 905 hPa (hectopascals) and maximum wind speeds reaching 85 m/s just three days after its formation. This corresponds to the highest Category 5 rating under the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) tropical cyclone classification (SSHWS).

Sarah affected South Korea from September 15 to 18, 1959. On the 17th, which was Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), it made landfall on the southern coast and swept through the Yeongnam region, resulting in a combined total of 849 deaths and missing persons.

Following Sarah, the typhoons with the largest human casualties were Betty in August 1972 (550 deaths), Selma in July 1987 (345 deaths), the aforementioned Rusa, and Maemi in 2003 (246 deaths).

On the afternoon of the 9th, as Typhoon Khanun was moving northward, employees of the Korea Expressway Corporation Suncheon Branch changed the warning sign on the Honam Expressway towards Cheonan from "Drowsiness Warning" to "Wet Road Warning."
[Photo by Yonhap News]

According to Korea Meteorological Administration statistics, out of the typhoons that occurred from 1951 to last year, 236 affected South Korea. By month, August had the most with 83, followed by July with 72, September with 50, June with 23, October with 5, and May with 3.

In particular, with the recent heavy monsoon rains last month still causing unrepaired flood damage, experts stress the need for even more thorough preparation for Typhoon Khanun.

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