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| North Korea floods: Tens of thousands displaced | North Korea floods: Tens of thousands displaced |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Aid agencies have warned that North Korea is facing a humanitarian disaster after tens of thousands of people were displaced by flooding. | Aid agencies have warned that North Korea is facing a humanitarian disaster after tens of thousands of people were displaced by flooding. |
| The UN and the International Red Cross say the government has reported 133 deaths with nearly 400 people missing and homes and crops destroyed. | The UN and the International Red Cross say the government has reported 133 deaths with nearly 400 people missing and homes and crops destroyed. |
| Rescue teams have been unable to reach some of the worst-hit areas. | Rescue teams have been unable to reach some of the worst-hit areas. |
| North Korea already has chronic food shortages and is heavily dependent on foreign aid to feed its population. | North Korea already has chronic food shortages and is heavily dependent on foreign aid to feed its population. |
| The UN has allocated $8m this year for humanitarian aid in the isolated country. | The UN has allocated $8m this year for humanitarian aid in the isolated country. |
| The flooding, triggered by the recent Typhoon Lionrock, comes as North Korea faces global anger for conducting its fifth nuclear test. | The flooding, triggered by the recent Typhoon Lionrock, comes as North Korea faces global anger for conducting its fifth nuclear test. |
| Friday's detonation, believed to be the North's biggest test so far, is expected to lead to a tightening of sanctions. | Friday's detonation, believed to be the North's biggest test so far, is expected to lead to a tightening of sanctions. |
| Floods 'destroyed everything' | Floods 'destroyed everything' |
| The worst flooding is along the Tumen river, which borders China. Many areas in Musan and Yonsa counties are entirely cut off, said the UN. | The worst flooding is along the Tumen river, which borders China. Many areas in Musan and Yonsa counties are entirely cut off, said the UN. |
| Chris Staines, who is leading a Red Cross delegation in North Korea, said the region was facing "a very major and complex disaster". | Chris Staines, who is leading a Red Cross delegation in North Korea, said the region was facing "a very major and complex disaster". |
| "The floods came through with such force, they destroyed everything in their path," AFP quoted him as saying. In some villages close to Hoeryong City there was "barely a building left unscathed". | "The floods came through with such force, they destroyed everything in their path," AFP quoted him as saying. In some villages close to Hoeryong City there was "barely a building left unscathed". |
| "People displaced from the floods are now in a very difficult situation and there are real risks of secondary disasters, particularly relating to people's health," he added. | "People displaced from the floods are now in a very difficult situation and there are real risks of secondary disasters, particularly relating to people's health," he added. |
| The UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said 140,000 people are "in urgent need of assistance". | The UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said 140,000 people are "in urgent need of assistance". |
| Murat Sahin, a UN official in North Korea, said the scale was of the disaster was "beyond anything experienced by local officials". | Murat Sahin, a UN official in North Korea, said the scale was of the disaster was "beyond anything experienced by local officials". |
| North Korean state media said people are experiencing "great suffering" in the region. | |
| How is North Korea reporting the floods? | |
| A week after the disaster struck, state media told citizens about the extent of the floods and launched a "200-day" campaign to rebuild affected areas. | |
| According to one report from state news agency KCNA, the campaign means that workers have been diverted from many of North Korea's set-piece construction projects and sent to Hamgyong Province to shore up river banks and build new homes. | |
| Tuesday's main evening news showed labourers hard at work in what could easily be a scene orchestrated for the cameras. Workers dug and shifted mud in front of propaganda banners, while a uniformed musical troupe sang in the background. | |
| However, the emergency is not the main news story in the country. That honour was given to Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's visit to a farm, which was seen heaving with ripening crops. |