Tropical Storm Khanun Leaves 16,000 Homeless In North Korea

[News_Editor]

Tropical Storm Khanun leaves 16,000 homeless in North Korea < br />

2012-07-26 09:52:57 GMT+7 (ICT)

PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA (BNO NEWS) -- More than 16,000 people have been left homeless after tropical storm Khanun hit southern parts of North Korea last week, state-run media reported on Wednesday. The death toll in the reclusive state has meanwhile risen to at least eight, with another person killed in South Korea.

Khanun became a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 40 miles (64 kilometers) per hour on July 16 as it was centered far east of the Ryukyu Islands. It then moved to the northwest, passing north of the Kadena Air Base on the islands before moving towards South Korea where it made landfall on July 19. It weakened quickly over North Korea before Khanun's remnants dissipated over China.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) previously reported seven people were killed in Kangwon Province, but the nationwide death toll rose to eight on Wednesday. It said the storm collapsed some 30 public buildings, destroyed at least 650 dwelling houses, and flooded nearly 3,870 homes, leaving more than 16,250 people homeless.

Despite most of the fatalities being reported in Kangwon Province, KCNA said most of the damaged houses were in North Hamgyong Province. It said Khanun also destroyed 11,960 square meters of roads, numerous bridges, and washed away more than 230 hectares (568 acre) of farmland.

In a previous report on Friday, KCNA also said the floods triggered by Khanun destroyed railways, breakwaters, electric supply and communications networks. Additionally, the water supply system was paralyzed in Wonsan and Munchon cities, suspending the provision of drinking water to citizens.

During the storm, some of the worst-hit areas saw up to 200 millimeters (7.8 inches) of rain.

In South Korea, Khanun also caused flooding, power outages, and affected major transportation systems. One fatality was reported in North Gyeongsang province when the wall of a home collapsed, officials said. Scattered showers and thunderstorms further affected some areas of northeastern China on July 20, causing no known casualties. Scattered showers also moved into Khabarovsk Krai in Russia.

In August 2011, at least ten people were killed when Typhoon Muifa destroyed hundreds of houses in the southern region of North Korea. It followed severe flooding triggered by record rainfall in the country just a month earlier, killing at least 30 people in North Korea and 70 people in South Korea.

North Korean state-run media also reported that an unknown number of people were killed in June 2011 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, but no official death toll was released.

KCNA's reporting of the natural disasters last year was heavily criticized after it distributed a photo which appeared to have been digitally altered to make the disaster look worse than it may have been. North Korean state-run media normally keeps quiet or downplays problems in the country, and experts believe the North's move might have been an attempt to receive more international aid.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-07-26

[GentlemanJim]

Well, here is something for Dear Leader to display some leadership on. If the west send 100 million US$ in aid, you can bet a pound to a pinch of rocking horse sh*t, it will go straight in to Dear Leaders bank account. All those poor brainwashed sods.

Edited July 26, 2012 by GentlemanJim