Heavy rain pounds Korea as Typhoon Prapiroon closes in

Heavy rain continued to pound South Korea, causing more damage as Typhoon Prapiroon moved toward Jeju Island, Monday morning.

One Thai person in her 50s died after being struck by lightning as she was planting rice in Yeonggwong-gun, South Jeolla Province. Another woman in her 70s suffered an injury from soil erosion in Boseong-gun, South Jeolla Province.

About 2,400 hectares of farmlands flooded in South Jeolla Province and North Chungcheong Province, while 22 cars were submerged in Boseong and 59 houses were flooded in Jeju Island, Gyeonggi Province and South Jeolla Province.

A total of 33 flights in eight airports were canceled as well as 11 routes of 12 ships in Yeosu. 

Up to 300 millimeters of rain is expected to hit areas in the southern coast. The Korea Meteorological Agency issued a warning for strong winds on Jeju Island.

The Daejeon Korea Meteorological Administration issued a warning for floods in the Geum River Basin and Gapcheon Basin as the water level in Gapcheon Basin reached 3.36 meters on Monday at 5 a.m.

The overflow of water from Gapcheon Basin flooded nearby land while the underpass in Yurim Park in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon was blocked.

Prapiroon is forecast to pass by the south sea near Seogwipo, Jeju Island on Tuesday 3 a.m. and go through the southwest sea of Busan at 3 p.m.

Around Wednesday at 3 a.m. the typhoon will pass through the northeast sea near Dokdo and move toward Russia around 3 p.m.

By Chyung Eun-ju (ejchyung@heraldcorp.com)