Heavy rains cause widespread damage in North Korea

[News_Editor]

Heavy rains cause widespread damage in North Korea

2011-07-22 06:50:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

PYONGYANG (BNO NEWS) -- Heavy rains and resulting landslides last week have caused widespread damage in parts of North Korea, state-run media reported on Friday. It is unclear if there were casualties.

Heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding in mainly west and southwestern parts of the Asian country between Monday and Friday last week, resulting in destructive landslides. Some areas received more than 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of rain.

"It rained heavily in most areas of South Pyongan, South and North Hwanghae, South Hamgyong and Kangwon provinces and some areas of North Pyongan and Ryanggang provinces from around midnight July 11 to 9 a.m. July 15," said Choe Kwang Guk, a meteorologist at the Hydro-meteorological Service.

Choe said more than 300 millimeters (11.8 inches) of rain was recorded in eight counties, with 402 millimeters (15.8 inches) in Thaethan, 386 millimeters (15.1 inches) in Sohung, and 353 millimeters (13.8 inches) in Koksan.

Video released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed flooded rural areas in Pyongyang, the country's capital. Footage from other regions showed flooded fields and damaged crops.

KCNA said landslides in Sunchon, Tokchon and Pukchang destroyed bridges and railways, but gave no information about whether there were casualties. It added that flooding also destroyed scores of homes, public buildings, roads, and tens of thousands of hectares of farmland. Dozens of coal mines were also flooded throughout the country.

Late last month, severe damage was also reported when Severe Tropical Storm Meari made landfall in western areas of North Korea. KCNA reported that heavy rain and strong winds destroyed more than 160 blocks of homes. It said people were killed, but gave no number.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-22

[ArtVandalay84]

Why didn't Dear Leader just use his divine like powers to change the weather?

[mpoppel]

Why didn't Dear Leader just use his divine like powers to change the weather?

[maidu]

Why didn't Dear Leader just use his divine like powers to change the weather?

He's too busy drinking cognac and watching old US westerns on his b&w TV.

[rubin]

poor north koreans, how long will they suffer from their evil governors

[baboon]

poor north koreans, how long will they suffer from their evil governors

The flooding is the fault pf the Government?

[cdnvic]

poor north koreans, how long will they suffer from their evil governors

The flooding is the fault pf the Government?

No, the part about being starving while being flooded is.

[EvilDrSomkid]

poor north koreans, how long will they suffer from their evil governors

The flooding is the fault pf the Government?

No, the part about being starving while being flooded is.

Spot on

[baboon]

poor north koreans, how long will they suffer from their evil governors

The flooding is the fault pf the Government?

No, the part about being starving while being flooded is.

Spot on

You are oversimplifying things a bit,fellahs. 80% of the north of Korea is mountainous and unsuitable for growing food. The majority af the arable land is in the south. Let us also not forget Korea is one country,not two. They were divided through no fault of their own by the USA&USSR.

[EvilDrSomkid]

You are oversimplifying things a bit,fellahs. 80% of the north of Korea is mountainous and unsuitable for growing food. The majority af the arable land is in the south. Let us also not forget Korea is one country,not two. They were divided through no fault of their own by the USA&USSR.

What are you trying to say? That the DPRK government has no part in the suffering of their people?

It is all the fault of South Korea, USA & former USSR?

[baboon]

Not at all. Merely that the situation in that troubled peninsula is more complicated and deserves more thought than the easy to digest good guy/bad guy soundbites we are fed by the media most of the time.

Look at some of the nonsense directed at Thaland. Families queueing up to sell you their kids,every woman on the game.....

[EvilDrSomkid]

Not at all. Merely that the situation in that troubled peninsula is more complicated and deserves more thought than the easy to digest good guy/bad guy soundbites we are fed by the media most of the time.

Look at some of the nonsense directed at Thaland. Families queueing up to sell you their kids,every woman on the game.....

Ah, understood.

I can understand that any situation is not cut and dried. However, I do believe that it should be well within the North Korean government's abilities to make sure there is enough food for it's population. It is not an overly large one.

Sadly, this is not that governments priority.

[baboon]

They are trying to improve matters in their own clumsy way. They are not deliberately starving their people out of sheer malice,despite what some would have us believe. Why would they? What purpose would it serve?

However,the place is in dire straits and the leadership knows it,which is why they are talking again.

There are a lot of good books out there if you are interested in what is going on in Korea and WHY it is going on. Enjoy your Sunday evening!!

[Credo]

I guess it's just the nuclear ambitions, the emphasis on rocket technology and the overall emphasis on military armament that makes me suspicious about their priorities.

[baboon]

Hey,come on. That is a cheap shot and you know it.

Yes,they develop and sell missile technology to countries we don`t like,unlike the UK,Chinese,French,Americans,Russians etc. who would never involve themselves in anything even remotely less than impeccable.

[Credo]

I hardly think it's a cheap shot. It's a country who appears to use its people as a bargaining chip. It develops nuclear weapons,but not not much nuclear power for electricity. It manages to feed a large standing army but not orphans. To whom it sells weapons is of little concern to me. Politicians can argue that point, but the money doesn't seem to be used to buy food.

I have no particular love for Fidel Castro or the Cuban government, but they seem to do well in a number of areas such as medical research.

But feel free to enlighten us on the things they do for their people.

[baboon]

Fair play to you! Not just another TV ranter with nothing better to do!

Nuclear power for civillian use? What about the 1994 `Agreed Framework` signed by President Bill Clinton which was supposed to build them two light water reactors and which was reneged upon?

Enough money to feed such a huge army? I don`t know where your facts come from,but I think you will find the army is not much better off than the populace.

[baboon]

Fair play to you! Not just another TV ranter with nothing better to do!

Nuclear power for civillian use? What about the 1994 `Agreed Framework` signed by President Bill Clinton which was supposed to build them two light water reactors and which was reneged upon?

Enough money to feed such a huge army? I don`t know where your facts come from,but I think you will find the army is not much better off than the populace,if at all.