South Korean broadcasters reported that seven people were discovered lifeless and later declared dead during a rescue operation at a flooded underground car park in the south-eastern coastal city of Pohang.

Two others were rescued and survived.

Three deaths had been reported earlier. Hinnamnor, the strongest typhoon of the year so far, reached the South Korean mainland early on Tuesday.

After two and a half hours of strong winds and rain, it moved away from the country in a northeasterly direction.

The Korean Peninsula is hit by cyclones every summer and in early autumn. Hinnamnor was the 11th this year. Experts do not think climate change is causing more cyclones per year, but they do estimate that such storms are becoming stronger and more destructive.

In the most affected areas in the country's south, streets and fields were flooded and many buildings and other infrastructure damaged. Thousands of people had to leave their homes, and almost 90,000 households temporarily lost power.

Australian Associated Press