The North Korean government said on Tuesday that it is doing its utmost effort to avert any losses caused by heavy rains this week. Outside observers are concerned that these rains might make the already difficult economic situation in the nation much worse.
Because of the country’s inadequate drainage and widespread deforestation, summer floods in North Korea, one of the poorest nations in Asia, often inflict major damage to the agricultural and other sectors of the country’s economy.
Along with stringent pandemic-related restrictions and UN sanctions, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un cited a number of challenges as having contributed to the country’s “many crises” in 2020. Among these challenges were typhoons and heavy rains.
The meteorological services of North Korea forecasted that the rainy season would begin in the latter half of June of this year and issued warnings that heavy downpours were likely to hit the majority of the country from Monday through Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the official Korean Central News Agency said that officials in the central and southern areas of the North are mobilising all available resources in preparation for any potential harm that may be caused by flooding.
According to KCNA, officials and employees there were working to preserve crops, manufacturing equipment, power plant infrastructure, and fishing boats from severe rains. These efforts were being reported. It was reported that the nation’s disaster prevention agency was evaluating the preparedness of first responders and medical personnel.
According to KCNA, North Korean authorities are asking citizens and workers to comply with limitations relating to pandemics while the nation is in the midst of its rainy season.
It was reported that more than 106 thousand medical professionals and hygiene workers were prepared to cope with any serious health problems that may arise as a result of the floods. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that authorities are taking measures to maintain anti-epidemic security at shelters for persons who have been relocated from flood-damaged regions.
The majority of North Korea has been getting heavy rainfall since Sunday, according to the meteorological office in South Korea.
Concerns about the deluge come at a time when North Korea is working to contain an epidemic of a homegrown coronavirus. Since North Korea acknowledged to the epidemic a month ago, the DPRK has said that around 4.7 million of of the nation’s 26 million citizens have become sick with feverish symptoms, but only 73 have died. This mortality rate is widely questioned by specialists from other countries.
Considering that North Korea’s entire population is still officially unvaccinated and that the country’s healthcare system is in disrepair, many outsiders believe that the country must have suffered a greater number of fatalities and that it is likely manipulating its death count to assist Kim Jong Un in avoiding any potential political damage.