Tropical Storm Khanun (2012)


Severe Tropical Storm Khanun, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Enteng, was the first tropical cyclone to directly impact Korea in two years. It is the 8th named storm, the 3rd severe tropical storm, and overall, the 13th tropical cyclone to be monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency during 2012. Khanun was also the first tropical storm to make a landfall over Korea in 2012. Khanun means "jack fruit" in Thai.

Meteorological history

Preparations and impact

South Korea

Before Khanun made landfall over Korea, two international flights linking Incheon to Manila were canceled on July 18 according to Incheon International Airport. From Wednesday, some 90 flights scheduled for Jeju and the southern city of Pohang, as well as 115 ferry trips for the southern islands were canceled, according to transportation officials.
As Khanun made its way to the central region along the west coast from Korea's southern resort island of Jeju, heavy rains and gales caused parts of a house to collapse in North Gyeongsang Province, killing an 83-year-old elderly woman. Losses in South Jeolla Province were calculated at ₩180 million.
The storm had deposited of rain in Suncheon, in Jeju and in Seoul as of 6 a.m., the weather office said. To control the water level, North Korea has been discharging water from its Hwangang Dam, located near the border with the South, since Wednesday noon, prompting South Korean campers to evacuate. No damages from the water release have been reported so far.

North Korea

In North Korea, state-run media reported that at least seven people were killed in Kangwon province, with an eighth fatality reported elsewhere. It said the storm caused significant damage, destroying 650 dwelling houses, 30 public buildings, railways, roads, bridges, and various systems. The flooding also inundated nearly 3,870 homes, leaving more than 16,250 people homeless.
On 29 July the North Korean government dramatically raised the death toll in the country to 88, with an additional 134 injured. The biggest loss of human life was in two counties of South Pyongan Province. At least 63,000 were made homeless by the flooding, while more than 30,000 hectares of land for growing crops were submerged and will add to growing fears of another looming famine in the country. Three hundred public buildings and 60 factories were damaged during the storm.
On 31 July United Nations staff visited flood-ravaged areas in hard-hit South Pyongan and Kangwon provinces. Heavy rain continued along the western edge of the country, including the capital Pyongyang. North Korea's official media reported that premier Choe Yong Rim visited flooded towns and discussed ways to help recovery efforts.

Aftermath

Torrential rains hit North Korea again on 29 and 30 July, with approximately 442 millimeters of rain recorded in Pakchon County of North Phyongan Province during a 24#8209;hour period from 6 a.m. local time 29 July. The rains worsened the flood situation caused by Khanun, destroying railways, roads, bridges and 'many' dwelling houses.
The North Korean government requested assistance from resident United Nations agencies, the Red Cross, and European Union Program Support Units. It also supported two inter-agency assessment missions in South Pyongan and Kangwon provinces on 31 July. On 4 August, government sources announced the death toll from both Khanun and the torrential rains in late July had risen to 169, with around 400 others missing. At least 8,600 houses were destroyed and 44,000 houses were flooded, leaving more than 212,200 people homeless.