1. An early morning landfall brought winds, storm surge and heavy rainfall to South Korea
- Typhoon Hinnamnor made landfall near the port city of Busan on the Southeastern coast of South Korea at 4:50 AM local time on Tuesday, September 6 (September 5 at 19:50 UTC). Typhoon Hinnamnor is the 11th named storm of the season in the Pacific Basin. It is the fourth cyclone to reach typhoon status, and the first super typhoon (equivalent of a Category 4 or greater hurricane in the Atlantic) of the season.
- The typhoon brought strong winds, storm surge and often heavy precipitation to South Korea, southern mainland Japan, eastern China and the surrounding islands. 89 mph wind speeds were observed in South Korea at Hinnamnor’s landfall. This equates to windspeeds of a Category 1 hurricane. Storm surge and intense rainfall from Typhoon Hinnamnor inundated the port cities along Southeastern South Korea and the surrounding islands. Pohang, a major city north of Busan in South Korea, recorded 20 inches of rain, with rainfall rates reaching four inches per hour at times.
- South Korea has a history of typhoons. In 2002 and 2003, Typhoons Rusa and Maemi, respectively, caused widespread damage. Floods from Typhoon Rusa downed bridges and Typhoon Maemi brought 134 mph winds. In 1998, Typhoon Yanni dropped 16 inches of rain, destroying many acres of agricultural lands.
2. Impacts to industrial and commercial activity could have global economic effects
- Busan, located on the Southeastern coast of the country, was directly in the path of Typhoon Hinnamnor. It is home to a network of major ports that trades with 100 countries around the globe and is responsible for shipping over 21 million containers in 2020.[1] Shipping companies that utilize Busan’s port spaces halted operations and relocated ships in anticipation of Typhoon Hinnamnor.[2] This mitigated damage to facilities and infrastructure, but delays in operation may have global supply-chain impacts.
- Industrial production facilities also halted operations in preparation for Typhoon Hinnamnor. These included automobile manufacturers, shipbuilding facilities, electronics production companies and refineries. [3] Halting production can delay deliveries to global markets.
- Cities with economies based on tourism (such as beachfront resorts) are likely to have experienced material damage from Typhoon Hinnamnor, such as those on South Korea’s Jeju Island. Prior to Hinnamnor’s arrival, large waves overflowed seawalls, and extreme winds left much of the island without power. Hotel lobbies and other infrastructure were flooded.
3. Riverine and rainfall-induced flooding were the most significant hazards
- Typhoon Hinnamnor quickly passed over South Korea, sparing the country from extensive wind damage. However, flooding began before the typhoon made landfall and continues to create issues. The full extent of damage from flooding remains to be seen, but efforts made by South Korean officials may have mitigated some losses.
- Seoul, South Korea’s capital, experienced historic flooding last month, inundating significant portions of the city. Country officials ensured that public awareness of the oncoming risk was well known by all residents. This included early warnings, road and school closures and thousands of evacuations.[4]
- The most significant flooding damage was seen in Pohang, just north of Busan. The city is home to over 500,000 residents. Riverine and precipitation-induced flash flooding was observed, forcing emergency personnel to rescue a number of residents trapped by rapidly rising floodwaters. Rainfall from Typhoon Hinnamnor is also responsible of landslides in the region.
[1] Busan Port Authority, Overview and Container Throughput. (Busan Port Authority 2022). https://www.busanpa.com/eng/Contents.do?mCode=MN0042. Accessed September 6 2022.
[2] Choi, Soo-Hyang, Typhoon Hinnamnor rips across S. Korea’s industrial south, two dead. (Reuters 2022). https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thousands-evacuate-typhoon-hinnamnor-hits-skorea-2022-09-06/. Accessed September 6 2022.
[3] Roh, Joori, South Korea braces for ‘very strong’ typhoon, businesses curb operations. (Reuters 2022). https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/typhoon-warnings-issued-skorea-businesses-halt-operations-2022-09-05/. Accessed September 7 2022.
[4] Tong-Hyung, Kim, Typhoon batters S. Korea, preparations minimize casualties. (Associated Press 2022). https://apnews.com/article/storms-fires-seoul-south-korea-7ac05e01fbebb960c3aa1c7b49b24f23. Accessed September 7 2022.
