Typhoon Bolaven pounded the southern and western parts of the country Tuesday, leaving at least 23 dead or missing and causing massive blackouts.

As of 5 p.m., four Chinese fishermen were found dead after two boats carrying 33 crew members capsized off the southern island of Jeju. Seventeen of them have been rescued, while 12 others were still missing, according to the Korean Coast Guard.

A cargo ship, carrying 4,500 tons of coal, was split into two, after becoming stranded in the shallow water off Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. Its 18 crew members, including nine Koreans, were still aboard the wrecked ship, waiting to be rescued.

Flying debris caused at least three deaths and many injuries as the typhoon brought ferocious winds gusting at up to 40 meters per second. The nation’s disaster prevention board urged residents along the typhoon’s course to ride out the storm indoors.

One Korean private security guard died in Wanju, North Jeolla Province, trapped under a container office that was flipped over by strong winds. A toppled tree and a fallen church spire took two more lives in the province. 

A house collapsed, killing an elderly woman in Gwangju.

Scores of others were injured by flying trees and other objects, the National Emergency Management Agency said.

The storm left a trail of destruction to homes, agriculture and infrastructure across the country as it moved along the West Sea, from waters off Jeju late Monday to near the most populous Seoul and Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday afternoon. It reached North Korea later in the day.

Over 700,000 households across the country lost electricity as the typhoon damaged power lines. Street signs, trees, church spires and telephone poles were toppled.

Major bridges were closed to vehicles, including the Incheon Bridge, one of the two bridges linking the capital to Incheon International Airport.

Most domestic flights from airports in Jeju and Seoul were canceled for the day.

Kindergartens and schools in Seoul were closed Tuesday, while other municipal and provincial authorities across the country have also enforced temporary school closures.

Typhoon Bolaven was one of the strongest storms to ever hit Korea. Its damage, still counting with reports surging in, could approach that of Typhoon Rusa, which left more than 200 people dead in 2002, officials said.

Rainfall totals on Jeju due to the typhoon reached beyond 300 millimeters, with Mount Halla areas reporting over 400 mm, while those for Seoul and central regions were expected to be at around 100 to 150 mm, the Korea Meteorological Agency said.

Another typhoon, though smaller and less powerful, is approaching the Korean Peninsula, the KMA warned.

Typhoon Tembin, roaring away from Taiwan, is expected to take a similar route as Typhoon Bolaven, affecting Korea from Thursday, it said.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)