North Korea battered by torrential rains, South Korea reports 16 dead

Non-stop torrential rains on the Korean peninsula has caused floods and massive damage to both North and South Korea. According to reports, authorities in South Korea have recently revealed that at least 16 people have been killed due to the heavy rains which have caused landslides and floods. North Korea is reportedly especially vulnerable to continued heavy rainfall since the hills and mountains in the country have been stripped of vegetation, allowing rainwater to flow freely.

Growing concerns about N Korea's food security

As per reports, the worst-hit region of North Korea has been Hwanghae province which is a major agricultural district. The rains have come during the harvest season adding the worry of future food security. There has been yet no mention of casualties of damage caused by the rain in North Korea. Back in 2016, major floods in North Korea has reportedly killed at least 138 people and during a major rainstorm in 2012, 160 people in the country lost their lives.

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Longest monsoon in 7 years

As per reports, in addition to the 16 deaths in South Korea, the authorities have also reported another 11 people that have been classified as missing and 1,600 people that have been displaced from their homes due to flooding and heavy rainfall. The Korean peninsula has experienced 42 consecutive days of rainfall making it the longest monsoon in roughly seven years.

As per reports, an estimated 1,200 displaced people have been moved into temporary shelters which have been set up n gyms and community centres, and amidst the coronavirus, pandemic measures have been taken in the shelters in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety have reportedly designated managers in these temporary shelters that check temperatures of people and screen for COVID-19 symptoms, all displaced residents in the shelters have been asked to wear masks and wash their hands.

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