People work to rebuild a flood-damaged riverside road outside Pyongyang, capital of North Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007. Floods caused by the largest rains ever recorded in parts of North Korea have destroyed more than one-tenth of the impoverished country's farmland at the height of the growing season, official media reported Wednesday. (AP Photo/APTN)
NKorea says flood has hit rice, maize crops
[This is the print version of story http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s2006264.htm]
Last Updated 15/08/2007, 22:42:34
North Korea says more than 10 percent of its rice and maize crops are damaged by flooding.
The country's ministry of agriculture, says unprecedented torrential rains have caused heavier damage than previous floods.
The statement underlines concerns about worsening food shortages in a country which relies on foreign aid to feed its 23 million people.
The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has ordered a full evaluation of the situation after talks with Pyongyang's Ambassador to the U-N.
"When he said he was grateful for United Nations assistance and willingness to provide, I could assume that he was receiving our offer."
Aid agencies says up to 300,000 people are believed hit by the worst floods in a decade, which would worsen already severe food shortages in the impoverished communist nation.
Official media has said torrential rains from August 7-12 caused "huge human and material damage."
The North has reported hundreds dead or missing and more than 30,000 houses for over 63,300 families destroyed, along with at least 800 public buildings and more than 540 bridges and sections of railway.
"Unprecedented torrential rains ... are throwing a shadow over prospects for agricultural production," agriculture ministry director Ri Jae-Hyon said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.
© 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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