Typhoon Haishen approaching Busan

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Haishen was churning northward to the southern port city of Busan on Monday morning, bringing the country under its influence with heavy rains and strong winds, the weather agency said.

As of 6 a.m., the season's 10th typhoon was moving at a speed of 41 kph over waters some 120 kilometers south of Busan, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

With its central pressure at 996 hectopascals, the powerful typhoon is packing a maximum wind speed of 40 meters per second. Its wind has slightly weakened from 43 meters per second estimated at 3 a.m.

It was to move closest to Busan at around 9 a.m., passing above seas 50 km northeast of the city, and travel along the Korean Peninsula up its eastern coast until it makes landfall at Chongjin, North Korea, at midnight. It is expected to dissipate there.

"It is highly likely that the typhoon will weaken as it passes by the country due to the southern sea's relatively cool temperature of less than 27 C, coupled with cool air in the upper atmosphere and strong wind," a KMA official said, forecasting it to be downgraded to an extratropical cyclone within 24 hours.

The typhoon is bringing pounding rains and strong winds, especially drenching the eastern regions.

A typhoon alert has been issued for the southern resort island of Jeju, Gyeongsang Province, and parts of Gangwon and the central provinces. A typhoon advisory was in effect for the rest of the country as of 8 a.m.

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
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