Anchor: Typhoon Bavi, expected to be one of the most powerful typhoons this year, is heading north along the western coast of the Korean Peninsula. Bavi is feared to bring winds of up to 60 meters per second as it grazes the South Korean coastline starting Wednesday evening and slams into North Korea's Hwanghae Province Thursday morning. 
Sam Len reports.

Report: Typhoon Bavi is heading north along the western coast of South Korea at 19 kilometers an hour, packing winds of more than 45 meters per second.

Weather officials upgraded Bavi to a "very strong" typhoon as of 9 a.m. Wednesday and said it will make landfall in North Korea's Hwanghae Province on Thursday morning.

Bavi could beat Typhoon Maemi in 2003, which set a record with winds of up to 60 meters per second, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA).

Winds of up to 35 meters per second are strong enough to derail trains, while winds of more than 40 meters per second can knock down people and even flip over cars.

Typhoon Maemi brought gale-force winds that toppled massive cranes at a South Korean port 17 years ago. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Typhoon Bavi brought winds of 43 meters per second to Jeju Island and dumped more than 30 millimeters of rain an hour.

The strong winds knocked down trees and toppled traffic lights on the southern resort island, while all flights to and from there were canceled.
Sam Len, KBS World Radio News.