Seoul: The most powerful typhoon to hit South Korea in years on Tuesday dumped a metre (3 feet) of rain, destroyed roads and fell power lines, but the death toll of three could have been higher if not for proactive evacuations and closures of schools, officials said.
There was also greater public awareness about the storm and its risks. Typhoon Hinnamnor made impact just weeks after heavy rains around the capital Seoul caused flooding that killed at least 14 people.
Government officials had put the nation on high alert for days as Hinnamnor approached, warning of potentially historic destruction and putting in motion life-saving measures.
After grazing the resort island of Jeju and hitting the mainland near the port city of Busan, Hinnamnor weakened as it blew into waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
South Korea's weather agency said Hinnamnor was over the open sea 280 kilometres (173 miles) northeast of Ulleung island with winds weakened to 115 kilometres (71 miles) per hour on Tuesday afternoon.
It was expected to be downgraded to a tropical cyclone by night as it moves northeast between Russia and the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, the agency said.
However, the damage was still severe in the southern city of Pohang, where two people were found dead and at least seven others were missing after the storm submerged roads and buildings, triggered landslides and flooded a shopping mall.
Cars with smashed windows and trunks open lay scattered on roads like garbage. An entire two-story pool villa was uprooted from the ground and swept away in flash floods.
Troops were deployed to assist with rescue and restoration efforts, moving in armored vehicles rolling through streets that turned into
chocolate-coloured rivers.