S Korea hit hard by deadly typhoon

Deadly and destructive typhoon Bolaven, as feared, left South Korea trembling Wednesday, threatening to do the same to neighboring regions, forecasters said. The most violent storm to hit South Korean in a decade whipped the country from Monday and by late Tuesday had left at least 10 people dead and two more injured. The storm temporarily knocked out power to about 1.2 million households across the country, caused chaos in the entire transportation system and inflicted heavy property damage, Yonhap News Agency reported, quoting the National Emergency Management Agency and other agencies. The storm also flooded nearly 7,000 acres of farmland and destroyed fish farms on the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. Additionally, the storm, prior to entering South Korea from Japan's Okinawa Island Tuesday, crippled two Chinese fishing boats off South Korea's Jeju Island, killing five Chinese fishermen and leaving another 10 missing. While South Korean relief and rescue workers began their restoration work, Chinese authorities prepared for Bolaven, which was already tormenting China's northeastern region and the Shandong Peninsula with gale force winds and heavy rains, with more of the same expected Wednesday. South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik Wednesday called for the setting up emergency facilities to oversee restoration works in the country, Yonhap reported. "The priority should be on restoring national infrastructure such as electricity, telecommunications and transportation, as well as residential areas to ensure public safety and convenience," he said. His office announced farmers and fishermen, affected by the storm, would receive emergency aid. Steps would also be taken to prevent possible blight damage as a result of flooding. The government also assured there would be enough food supplies to prevent price increases ahead of Chuseok, a major traditional holiday. There was also concern that South Korea could be hit later this week by Typhoon Tembin, which last week caused much damage in Taiwan, and continued to circle around the entire region thanks to Bolaven, threatening more heavy rains. The 12-day U.S.-South Korea annual military exercise, which had been halted for a day because of Bolaven, resumed Wednesday, the military said, Yonhap reported. The computer-simulated exercise, which began Aug. 20, is designed to improve preparedness for any provocation from North Korea. In China, Xinhua quoted forecasters that some parts of the northeastern regions could be hard hit by torrential rains, with precipitation expected to reach up to 12 inches. Local governments also were urged to prepare for emergencies and guard against floods and landslides. As of Tuesday, Chinese emergency workers had evacuated about 1,800 tourists in Dandong in anticipation of flooding. Authorities also had deployed more than 6,000 soldiers on standby. In the coastal cities, all ships and boats were asked to return to harbor. Tens of thousands of households in the region also were experiencing blackouts. In Taiwan, the Taipei Times reported typhoon Tembin, on its turnaround path pushed by Bolaven, spared the already rain-battered southern region without making a landfall Tuesday, but hit the Orchid Island, injuring three people.