Typhoon Krovanh packs unexpected punch, killing 1 and injuring 1 in Jeju gales

Powerful gusts reaching 27 meters per second battered Jeju Island under the indirect influence of Typhoon Krovanh on Friday, toppling a crane and killing one worker while seriously injuring another in a string of weather-related incidents.

The Jeju Regional Meteorological Administration issued strong wind warnings Friday for mountainous and mid-mountain areas of Jeju Island, the northern and eastern parts of Jeju and the southern and eastern parts of Seogwipo, with strong wind advisories in effect for the remaining areas.

High-wave warnings were also issued for the distant southern waters and the near southern and eastern seas around Jeju Island, with special wave advisories covering all maritime zones around the island.

As of 7 p.m. Friday, peak instantaneous wind speeds at major monitoring points included 26.9 meters per second at Saebyeol Oreum, 26.1 m/s at Marado, 24.8 m/s at Udo, 24.6 m/s at Hallasan Sajaebi, 24 m/s at Gangjeong and 22.9 m/s at Saekdal.

The gale-force winds caused casualties.

At around 3:53 p.m. Friday, fire authorities received a report that a crane had collapsed on a barge moored at Pier 11 of Jeju Port, trapping two workers.

The workers had been replacing steel plates on the barge with a crane mounted on it at the time of the accident.

The barge owner, a man in his 50s identified only as A, was rescued in cardiac arrest and rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The crane operator, also a man in his 50s identified as B, suffered serious injuries after being pinned under a steel plate.

The Korea Coast Guard is investigating the exact cause of the accident, believing the crane was knocked over by the strong winds.

Structural damage from the gusts was reported across Jeju.

At around 1:50 p.m. in Gujwa-eup, Jeju, a person in their 50s who was mowing grass was struck by a windblown barrier and sustained abrasions. At around 5:36 p.m. in Beophwan-dong, Seogwipo, another person was injured after being hit by windblown debris.

At around 9:38 a.m., a median barrier was blown over in Ido 2-dong, while traffic lights were damaged in Gujwa-eup, Hallim-eup and Dosun-dong in Seogwipo. A speed camera was dislodged in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, at around 11:55 a.m. and had to be secured.

Reports of fallen or snapped trees, flying banners and shaking road signs came in from across the island throughout the day.

At Jeju International Airport, where strong wind and sudden wind-shift warnings were in effect, 184 departing and arriving flights had been delayed as of 7 p.m. Some passenger ferry services linking Jeju with Jindo and Samcheonpo were canceled due to the wave warnings, and all ferry services between Jeju and the islands of Gapado and Marado were also suspended.

All seven trails in Hallasan National Park were closed for the day amid growing safety concerns. Swimming was banned at all 12 designated beaches in the Jeju area.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast that gusts exceeding 20 meters per second would continue to hit parts of Jeju for the time being, warning that winds of 26 m/s or stronger were possible in areas under strong wind warnings and that mountain areas could see gusts above 30 m/s.

"The current strong wind and wave advisories could continue for an extended period through Sept. 8," the agency said, urging the public to tend to facilities and guard against safety accidents, and calling on vessels at sea to exercise particular caution.

Meanwhile, as of 3 p.m. Friday, Typhoon Krovanh was a Category 1 storm with a central pressure of 992 hectopascals and maximum wind speeds of 23 meters per second, moving westward at 16 kilometers per hour over waters about 360 kilometers north of Okinawa, Japan. The typhoon is expected to weaken into a tropical depression within 96 hours as it passes through the seas south of Japan.