NATION HIT BY TYPHOON OMAIS

[Anchor Lead]

Typhoon Omais has dissipated as it exited into the East Sea, but not before bringing 90 millimeters of rain per hour in Busan causing many downtown areas to submerge over night. Rivers also flooded prompting residents to evacuate in the wee hours.

[Pkg]

Streams have flooded due to heavy downpours. Low-lying areas begin to be inundated. Streams in city centers which experienced massive flooding last year have again caused damage this year. Planks set up at apartment building entrances are not enough to keep out the water. Residents, still in pajamas and slippers, quickly take shelter.

[Soundbite] (Apartment resident) : "Look here. How can I go in? I can't. Water is flowing backwards. What can I do in this situation?"

Rain of up to 88 millimeters per hour accompanied by thunder and lightening battered Busan, paralyzing the city. Urgent calls for rescue continued throughout the city including one person who was saved after being trapped in a flooded store. Some 30 roads were blocked and cars unable to flee the area are seen here floating about at an intersection. At one town in Busan's Gijang-gun county, a river flooded so quickly that homes went under water before anything could be done stop it. The 20 or so residents rushed to evacuate.

[Soundbite] Jeong Sang-deuk(Imgi village, Gijang-gun county) : "Water came in so quick and suddenly, leaving no time to escape. It reached this high."

In typhoon-ravaged Busan, over 180 calls reporting damages came through the police hotline over night.