Typhoon Khanun leaves trail of destruction but no casualties in S. Korea

[Photo by Yonhap]

The aftermath of Typhoon No. 6 Khanun has left South Korea grappling with a total of 361 instances of facility damage and flooding across the nation, as reported by authorities on Friday.

Khanun swept across South Korea from the southern to northern regions over a span of 16 hours on Thursday before dissipating near North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, around 6 a.m. on Friday, according to meteorological sources.

The impacts of the typhoon included flooding, destruction of facilities, landslides, disruptions in transportation, and temporary school closures. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties, said the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH). Most of the damage was concentrated in the southeastern region, close to the typhoon’s landing point, and the east coastal region.

While typhoons typically maintain their strength for about five days, Khanun defied this norm by retaining typhoon status for three times that period. It executed two swift changes in direction, causing havoc in three countries: South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. The prolonged duration of the typhoon’s impact is believed to have been fueled by warmer-than-usual ocean waters.