SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Hinnamnor was approaching South Korea on Monday, putting the entire country on a high alert for what could be one of the most powerful storms to strike the Asian nation.

The 11th typhoon of this year moved past the waters some 270 km south-southwest of Seogwipo in South Korea's southern island of Jeju around 3 p.m. local time (0600 GMT), according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

The typhoon was forecast to move north-northeast at a speed of 30 km per hour, reaching the waters 90 km south of Seogwipo around 9 p.m. local time on Monday (1200 GMT) and the waters 190 km southwest of the southeastern port city of Busan around 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday (1800 GMT Monday).

When Hinnamnor nears Busan, its atmospheric pressure at the center and its maximum wind speed are forecast to hit 945 hectopascals and 45 meters per second respectively, classifying it as a "very strong" typhoon.

Typhoons can be categorized as medium, strong, very strong and super strong. The highest-tier typhoon refers to one with a maximum wind speed of at least 54 meters per second.

After passing through the country's southeastern coastal region, the typhoon was expected to reach the waters 130 km north-northeast of Busan around 9 a.m. local time Tuesday (midnight on Tuesday), before heading out to sea.

A heavy rain warning was issued across the country until Tuesday as the typhoon carries strong winds and torrential rains.

Hundreds of flights and ferry services were canceled nationwide, while hundreds of people in Busan were evacuated to brace for the powerful typhoon.

Schools and kindergartens were recommended to skip classes or switch to online learning, while private companies were prompted to adjust working hours on Tuesday. Enditem

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