Regional gov'ts on high alert as 'more powerful' typhoon approaches

SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's provincial governments are on high alert Tuesday as another typhoon forecast to be more powerful than one that hit the country last week is approaching the country and expected to affect their regions.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Typhoon Maysak was traveling north-northeastward at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour from waters some 220 kilometers west of Japan's Okinawa Island as of 3 p.m.

The central pressure of the season's ninth typhoon was 935 hectopascals, with its radius of maximum wind at 380 km and its maximum wind speed at 49 meters per second.

The weather agency predicted the typhoon will come close to Jeju Island on Wednesday before landing along the south coast of South Gyeongsang Province early Thursday.

It will move further north to pass through cities like Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongju before moving back to waters along the east coast on Thursday evening, according to the weather authorities.

At its peak, the typhoon could bring powerful winds with speeds of up to 180 kilometers per hour, the agency said, adding that Maysak may be stronger in force than Typhoon Bavi, which hit the country last week.

As the typhoon is approaching the Korean Peninsula, the entire South Korea is likely to come under its influence by Thursday. It was forecast to start raining on Jeju Island and in South Jeolla Province on Tuesday. Heavy rains of up to 400 millimeters and strong wind have also been predicted for the entire country between Wednesday and Thursday.

Several regional governments, especially in southern regions where the impact of the typhoon was expected to be hardest, are bracing for the arrival of Maysak.

The province government of Jeju is stepping up security inspection of some 90 high-risk facilities in cooperation with the coast guard, including ports, while putting patrol ships on standby for an emergency dispatch.

The city of Busan plans to activate its emergency disaster response team upon Maysak's landfall. It is also increasing its inspection of facilities vulnerable to landslides and other typhoon aftereffects.

The government of South Gyeongsang Province also entered into an emergency mode as its coastal cities could be prone to menacing tidal waves.

pbr@yna.co.kr
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