S. Korea raises typhoon alert level to 'vigilance' from 'attention'
The interior and safety ministry on Saturday elevated the weather alert level to "vigilance" from "attention" as Typhoon Tapah tracking northward is expected to affect parts of the country's southern region over the weekend.
Interior Minister Chin Young presided over a meeting of related ministries and provincial governments to make the decision and discuss ways to minimize potential damage from the typhoon, this year's 17th, Yonhup news agency reports.
The officials decided to check vulnerable areas, such as steep slopes, and ensure that measures are well in place to prevent flooding, power outages and other problems that could occur as the typhoon approaches.
"I ask citizens to refrain from going outside when the country is under the influence of the typhoon and ensure their safety when there are concerns about the possibilities of landslides or flooding," Chin said.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that Typhoon Tapah is expected to pass through the waters east of the southern island of Jeju during daytime Sunday and then move past the Straits of Korea and toward the East Sea at night on the day.