(LEAD) N. Korea's media report on broken trees, inundated streets as Typhoon Bavi makes landfall

North Korea 14:34 August 27, 2020

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SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Bavi made landfall in North Korea, snapping trees and causing flooding and other damage, state media outlets reported Thursday.

The North's state TV station earlier aired footage of broken trees, fallen electricity poles, inundated streets and damaged homes and facilities in towns along its western coastline bearing the brunt of the eighth typhoon of the season.

"Strong winds are blowing in Ongjin County, Kangryong County and Haeju City of South Hwanghae Province, and along the southwestern coastline," a county official told the TV station.

The western port city of Nampo was also one of areas hardest-hit by strong winds and rainfall, with TV footage showing flooded roads and a submerged vehicle.

"The wind is getting stronger and steel plates are currently flying over roofs right now," a reporter said, while covering the damage.

Other TV footage showed external walls of a department store in Sariwon, about 70 kilometers south of Pyongyang, peeled off by strong gusts.

This photo, captured from North Korea's Central TV, shows inundation due to Typhoon Bavi in the North's western port of Nampo on Aug. 27, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

Typhoon Bavi touched down on the Ongjin Peninsula of South Hwanghae Province at around 5:30 a.m.

North Korea expected the typhoon to make its way near Pyongyang at around 9 a.m., generating gusts of 15-20 meters per second in the capital.

North Korea has been vigilant as the typhoon was on its way to the Korean Peninsula amid fears that it could be stronger than Typhoon Lingling, which devastated many areas of the country in September last year.

North Korea earlier said it evacuated ships along its western coastline and beefed up monitoring of key industrial facilities to minimize damage.

The typhoon couldn't come at a worse time as the country is already facing multiple challenges, including the fallout from its protracted antivirus campaign and floods caused by recent heavy downpours.

On Tuesday, leader Kim Jong-un held a politburo meeting and discussed ways to cushion the impact from the approaching typhoon.

Kim said the efforts to "thoroughly prevent the casualties by typhoon and minimize the damage to the crops is an important work which can never be neglected even a moment for our Party."