Typhoon Maysak causes heavy flood damage in eastern regions of N. Korea

All News 10:47 September 03, 2020

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Maysak dumped torrential rains in eastern parts of North Korea on Thursday, causing heavy flooding in the coastal city of Wonsan and other damage, state media reported.

The Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station has been running breaking news in real time and updates on the ninth tropical storm of the season, nearly every hour since 6 p.m. Wednesday.

"Typhoon No. 9 as of 7 a.m. has reached the sea about 40 kilometers east from Gangneung, Kangwon Province in South Korea. The entire region of Kangwon Province in our country and parts of North Hamgyong Province has come under the influence of the typhoon," the station reported.

"Typhoon No. 9 is characterized by heavy rainfall more than strong winds," it added.

Among the affected regions by heavy rainfall was the country's eastern coastal town of Wonsan, which received up to 132 millimeters of rain in just three hours.

The station ran real-time video footage showing buildings and streets in downtown Wonsan surrounded by water at 6 a.m., including a square used to hold major political events.

It is also broadcasting updates on the typhoon through reporters covering the scene live in areas most affected, including Goseong and Wonsan in Kangwon Province and Sinpo and Hamheung in Hamgyong Province.

The North has been running real-time news updates since Typhoon Bavi last week. It is rare for the North's media to carry live news coverage from areas affected by a typhoon, considering that it normally does not reveal details of natural disasters.