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Thousands flee South Korean storm; 1 dead

SEOUL, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- One person was dead and more than a thousand forced to evacuate Monday as Typhoon Sanba brought heavy rain and strong winds to southern regions of South Korea.

The fourth tropical storm to hit the peninsula this year, Sanba caused massive damage and brought to a standstill in the provinces surrounding the port city of Busan, Yonhap news agency reported.

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A 53-year-old woman in North Gyeongsang province died when a landslide collapsed her house and more than 1,100 people across the country have been forced to evacuate. More than 380,000 homes were without power, emergency managers said.

More than 250 flights have been canceled and ferry services suspended. Schools in the southern and central regions have been canceled.

After battering Busan, the storm roared northward past the southern city of Daegu with winds of 69 mph. At 4 p.m. local time (8 a.m. EDT), Sanba was moving at 25 mph, the Korean Meteorological Administration said.

Southern cities were inundated with at least 8 inches of rain, and forecasters said southern and central regions could receive another 8 inches before midnight.

Typhoon advisories have been issued for most parts of the country.

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