Tropical Storm Malou impacts Korea

Graphic courtesy of Korea Meteorological Administration

After being battered by Tropical Storm Kompasu last week, another tropical storm takes aim on South Korea, this time at the southern end of the peninsula. Malou has been moving generally northward as a tropical storm throughout the past week bringing heavy rain to eastern China but otherwise not impacting land.

Malou is now crossing the island of Jeju where a typhoon warning is in place. The storm will cross the southern end of the peninsula very close to or directly over the city of Pusan.

Tropical Storm Malou Churns Toward South Korea as Typhoon Warning Issued(Bloomberg)

Tropical Storm Malou headed toward South Korea, where five people died when a cyclone struck last week, the U.S. Navy Joint Typhoon Center said.

Malou was 122 kilometers (76 miles) south of Jeju at 9 a.m. Seoul time today, the center said. The storm is forecast to hit the island before crossing southern regions of the country tomorrow, the center said.

The storm had sustained winds of 74 kilometers per hour and Malou is expected to maintain strength as it reaches Jeju about 3 p.m. local time today, the center said.

The Korea Meteorological Administration issued a typhoon warning for Jeju and surrounding seas, and a heavy rain watch for Ulsan in the southeast of the country, it said on its website.

After brushing against Korea, Malou will continue on and cross Japan north of Tokyo in a couple of days.