Thousands hit by North Korea floods as Kim Jong Un calls ’emergency’

Record-breaking rainfall in North Korea over the weekend has left thousands stranded by flooding, prompting leader Kim Jong Un to declare a state of “emergency,” according to state media reports.

Images have emerged of submerged farmland and homes in Sinuiju city and Uiju county, areas bordering China. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper, reported that many people were rescued via airlift, though the BBC cannot independently verify these claims.

This natural disaster exacerbates existing challenges in North Korea, including food shortages and inadequate infrastructure.

Despite the country’s usual tendency to conceal adverse events, it has been relatively transparent about this situation, with the newspaper describing it as a “grave crisis.”

The report did not provide casualty figures but noted that over 4,200 residents were evacuated after more than 10 planes made up to 20 consecutive round-trip flights.

Unusually, photographs showed Kim Jong Un navigating floodwaters in a black Lexus, a departure from the norm where senior leaders typically oversee disaster management efforts.

According to Gordon Kang, a senior North Korean analyst, these images are unprecedented.

State media emphasized that Kim Jong Un has “personally directed the battle” against the floods and declared parts of three provinces as “special disaster emergency zones.”

“Kim Jong Un is putting himself out there and demonstrating that the state is able to provide for its people,” Mr Kang explained to the BBC.

He noted the rescue efforts seen in this instance were also noticeably more extensive than those seen after previous disasters.

“North Korea is able to do more because it has strengthened its relationships with China and Russia. It now has more resources to back up its rhetoric,” he added.

Getting an accurate picture of events in North Korea is challenging, as state media, which primarily targets its domestic audience, usually only reports information that casts the country or its leader in a positive light.

Flooding in North Korea is a recurring issue, with seasonal rains and monsoons causing annual floods, according to Mr. Kang. These floods are worsened by significant deforestation in the country’s mountains and hills.

There are concerns that these floods could severely impact North Korea’s agricultural sector, which is already constrained by the country’s mountainous terrain.

North Korea remains one of the poorest nations globally. While recent estimates are limited, the CIA World Factbook reported a gross domestic product per capita of around $1,700 in 2015.

However, the actual economic situation and figures are difficult to ascertain due to North Korea’s opaque economy.

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