At least 3 dead, 8 missing as massive typhoon hits South Korea

Seoul — One of the most powerful storms South Korea has seen in years began lashing the country's south before dawn Tuesday. By early evening, Typhoon Hinnamnor had left at least three dead, eight people missing and forced around 4,600 people to flee their homes. The typhoon dumped devastating rainfall of one meter in some areas, causing flooding that damaged or destroyed at least 160 buildings, according to the government.

The areas of Jeju, Ulsan, Busan and Pohang were among the hardest hit.

South Korean authorities began grounding flights, ferries and trains starting Monday evening, but the typhoon quickly dealt its blow to the country before heading out to sea and weakening, leaving most of the regions slowly resume normal activities Tuesday evening.

This is the second time in recent weeks that South Korea has been hit hard by torrential rains. The latest storm killed at least 14 people, with damage concentrated in the capital Seoul. Video of cars being tossed like toys in the torrents – and the estimated $130 million in damage caused by the storm – have South Korea better prepared for this week's blow.

Unfortunately, some attempts to prepare for the storm's arrival seemed to do more harm than good. Local media reported that the management company of an apartment complex in the southern city of Pohang alerted residents to remove their vehicles from an underground parking lot, but that while some attempted to do so , the garage was flooded. One person was killed and six were still missing as of Tuesday evening.

Rescue officials said it would take five to six hours to pump water from the submerged land.

The South Korean Marine Corps sent about 1,300 troops to help with rescue and recovery efforts, with two amphibious tanks, nearly a dozen small inflatable boats, 59 vehicles in total and six large-volume water pumps .

The impact of Typhoon Hinnamnor was also felt across the world's most militarized border, in North Korea. State media said leader Kim Jong Un chaired a meeting to review his country's disaster prevention and response systems.

Often, after heavy rains, North Korea opens its dams and releases floods that can flood northern South Korea. The South Korean government has often called on the North to communicate before any such release, and it reiterated the request Monday before the typhoon arrived.

“We urge them to inform us in advance in case of release,” Cho Joong-hoon, a spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, said Monday. “This also includes the hope that the two Koreas can work together to overcome the current crisis without much damage.”

Cho said the North Korean office his ministry called to make the request responded, “without clarifying its position upon receipt of the notice.”

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