Typhoon Sanba to make impact felt in Korea this weekend

Typhoon Sanba, named after a city in Macau, is traveling north and will make its impact felt in Korea this weekend.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Sanba is now in the "mid-strength" category and was moving northwest in waters about 920 kilometers east of Manila Thursday afternoon. It had a central atmospheric pressure of 950 hectopascals, maximum wind speed of 43 meters per second, and a radius of 450 kilometers.

Sanba, however, is expected to be upgraded to the "large and very strong" category by Friday afternoon, with a central pressure of 935 hectopascals, maximum wind speed of 48 meters per second, and a radius of 520 kilometers.

The typhoon`s path is volatile but the weather agency expects it to land in Korea through the southern coast. By Monday morning, when it nears Jeju Island, Sanba will have a central pressure of 955 hectopascals and a maximum wind speed of 41 meters per second.

Typhoon Bolaven, which hit Korea ｉｎ　late Ａｕｇｓｔ, had a central pressure of 950 hectopascals and a maximum wind speed of 43 meters per second when it passed Jeju.

Jeju is expected to be affected by Sanba Sunday morning, and many parts of the country will see heavy rain and strong winds until Tuesday, the weather agency said. This has raised fears of crop damage ahead of Chuseok, or Korea`s equivalent to Thanksgiving.

starsky@donga.com