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Tropical Storm Jongdari Nears South Korea, Causing Flight Delays and Safety Warnings
Tropical Storm Jongdari approaches South Korea, prompting flight delays and safety warnings. Stay informed on the latest updates, travel disruptions, and safety measures as the storm impacts the region.
Tropical Storm Jongdari Approaches South Korea
Tropical Storm Jongdari is advancing toward South Korea, presenting a significant threat with its anticipated heavy rainfall and strong winds. As the storm draws closer, it has already caused disruptions, notably delaying numerous flights to and from Jeju Island, a favored vacation spot in the southern region of the country. Authorities have issued warnings of potential coastal flooding and have taken precautionary measures, including evacuation orders for piers, ports, and beaches on the island. Furthermore, all hiking trails have been closed to ensure public safety.
According to the U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Jongdari is currently packing maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour. The storm is expected to pass by Jeju later on Tuesday evening, travel along South Korea’s western coast throughout the night, and make landfall near Seoul, the capital, on Wednesday morning. Forecasts indicate that Jongdari could unleash as much as four inches of rain in certain areas of Jeju, while parts of mainland South Korea may receive between one to three inches.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), which categorizes tropical cyclones with wind speeds exceeding 38 miles per hour as typhoons, has issued typhoon warnings for Jeju Island and the southwestern coast of the peninsula. This alert reflects the serious nature of the incoming storm and the potential hazards it poses to the region.
- More than 30 flights scheduled to either depart from or arrive at Jeju International Airport on Tuesday afternoon have been delayed, according to updates on the airport’s official website.
- A sudden wind change warning is currently in effect at the airport and will remain so until Tuesday night.
- Korea Post, the country’s national postal service, has also advised that mail deliveries could face disruptions in areas affected by Jongdari due to the impact on flights and shipping services.
Jongdari originated early Monday in the Pacific Ocean, close to Okinawa, a southern island of Japan. Meteorologists have noted that the storm is expected to bring in warm, moist air from the south, thereby extending the current heat wave that has seen daytime temperatures soaring to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit in South Korea for the past several weeks.