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Neoguri causes flight cancellations, school closures in Jeju

Neoguri causes flight cancellations, school closures in Jeju

Posted July. 10, 2014 09:13,   

한국어

Neoguri, the eighth typhoon of this year, hit Jeju Island, while moving northward on Wednesday. Jeju saw strong winds and torrential rain, which caused damage in many parts of the resort island. Neoguri is expected to pass through Japan on Thursday afternoon. Afterwards, Korea will likely embrace scorching weather amid cloudy skies across the nation.

Typhoon Neoguri maintained force of 965 hectopascals in atmospheric pressure at the center, winds of up to 38 meters per second, and gusty winds affecting areas spanning 400 kilometers in radius at noon on Wednesday, as the powerful typhoon approached some 260 km south of Seogwipo, causing powerful winds and torrential downpour of more than 30 mm per hour. As of 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jeju saw 50.1 mm of precipitation, Seogwipo 49 mm, and Seongsan 34.9 mm, while Witseoreum, a mountainous area, was drenched with 305 mm of downpour. The maximum instantaneous wind speed reached 33.8 meters per second in Gapa Island, and 22.7 meters in Jeju and 19.5 meters in Seogwipo. The Jeju region, under direct influence of the typhoon, reported a flurry of flight and ferry cancellations and power outages among other damage.

With admission to Mount Halla banned, more than 300 millimeters of rain poured on the scenic mountain on the day. Flights were cancelled en masse at Jeju International Airport, and ferries and ships linking Jeju and Mokpo and Jeju and Busan saw their operation completely suspended. More than 2,000 ships and boats, including fishing boats, took emergency shelter at ports in the Jeju region. Eight schools including Beophwan Elementary School and Daejeong Girls’ High School were closed, with 44 other schools ending school hours early due to the typhoon on the day.

Neoguri is forecast to approach Kagoshima, Japan on Thursday, before moving northeastward along mainland Japan. The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast that the nation will embrace heat wave, with daytime high surpassing 30 degrees Celsius amid cloudy skies nationwide from Thursday afternoon.