"A Sight Like This for the First Time Ever"...The Identity of the Giant Whirlwind Captured in Jeju

At around 7:15 PM on the 30th, a waterspout phenomenon occurred off the coast of Seogwipo City, Jeju.
[Photo by Twitter capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A waterspout phenomenon occurred off the coast of Seogwipo City, Jeju, attracting the attention of citizens.

According to the Jeju Regional Meteorological Administration on the 30th, a waterspout was observed around 7:15 PM off the coast of Seogwipo.

A waterspout is meteorologically the same phenomenon as a tornado and occurs when the atmosphere is highly unstable. It is called "Yongoreum" in Korea because its shape resembles an Imugi (a mythical serpent) ascending to become a dragon.

The waterspout on this day is estimated to have occurred near Marado, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo City. The exact cause of the occurrence is not yet known.

On social networking services (SNS), numerous posts from citizens capturing this moment across the Seogwipo area were uploaded one after another. Videos taken by citizens showed the waterspout towering in the shape of a huge vortex. A witness who was in Jungmun-dong, Seogwipo City at the time told Yonhap News, "It was a rare sight that I don't usually see, so I was amazed and kept exclaiming." There were no reported damages to facilities caused by the waterspout that day.

Meanwhile, on the same day (the 30th), a strong wind advisory was issued for the entire Jeju area due to Typhoon Songda, the 5th typhoon, passing over the southern sea of Jeju. Heavy rain fell on Hallasan Mountain, leading to a complete closure of the hiking trails, and some ferry routes were suspended due to a high seas advisory.

According to the Meteorological Administration, Typhoon Songda passed 370 km southeast of Qingdao, China, at 9 AM on the 31st and is expected to weaken into a tropical depression within 12 hours. However, before the effects of Songda fully subside, Typhoon Trases, the 6th typhoon, which formed about 20 km northwest of Okinawa, Japan, is expected to head straight toward Jeju.

The Meteorological Administration stated that Trases will reach 400 km southwest of Kagoshima, Japan, at midnight on the 1st of next month and weaken into a tropical depression at 140 km south-southwest of Seogwipo at noon the same day. The Japan Meteorological Agency expects the center of the tropical depression weakened from Trases to be located west of Jeju at noon on the 1st of next month.