Posted on 08/02/2006 5:12:19 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
N Korean flood toll thought to be 10,000
Up to 10,000 North Koreans are believed dead or missing in what Pyongyang's official media is describing as the worst flooding in a century, a respected South Korean humanitarian group says.
"About 4,000 people are now listed as missing, and we expect the final toll of dead and missing to reach 10,000," the independent aid group Good Friends said.
North Korea's official media has so far admitted that hundreds of people are dead or missing after the country was battered by heavy rainfall for nearly two weeks from July 10.
Seoul-based Good Friends says the media is now terming the flooding the worst to hit the impoverished country in a century and that a massive relief operation is now under way.
In a statement, the group says despite the urgency of the disaster, North Korean soldiers have been ordered to stay in their barracks and not to help with relief operations because of tension with the outside world over North Korea's recent missile tests.
North Korea's bare hillsides, which have been stripped of tree cover by impoverished residents looking for fuel, are particularly vulnerable to flooding and landslides caused by erosion.
Two weeks of heavy rainfall sent rainwater sweeping unimpeded down deforested hillsides, sending rivers of mud through farms and villages.
The aid group says the worst-hit areas include Sinyang and other counties along the upstream of the Taedong river which runs through the centre of Pyongyang.
It says malaria is now spreading in southern regions.
South Korea's former unification minister Jeong Se-Hyun, who is now leading the non-governmental Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, says North Korea is clearly facing a national crisis.
Damage to the harvest across North Korea sparked concerns that its chronic food shortages may worsen again this year.
Mr Jeong says North Korea, however, cannot bear to ask for help from South Korea or the international community because of tension.
South Korean officials say North Korea earlier rejected an offer of help from South Korea's Red Cross to help cope with the natural disaster.
- AFP
N. Korean regime is taking hits from all sides. Internationally isolated, and pummeled by torrential rain. This massive flood, the second such a disaster in a dozen years, could turn into N. Korean version of Chernobyl, a regime-breaker.
I always thought that a freak accident could play a decisive role in the demise of N. Korean regime, in addition to deliberate actions, military or otherwise, by outside players. It could be happening finally.
More on the worst flood in a century (from a S. Korean article)
245,060 acres of farmland flooded.
200 dead found in Haeju, located in N. Korea's breadbasket.
At Yoduk County, an entire village was washed away except a school and two apt buildings.
Malaria in Kaesung and Haeju area.
Many kids and the elderly are dying at Kowon, Danchon, and Wonsan.
No medical help nor epidemic prevention efforts
Pumping station in Pyongyang destroyed, fresh water in short supply.
Many power facilities destroyed
Hundreds of kilometers of road and dykes destroyed, dozens of bridges were broken down
Due to tense international situation, and to keep public opinion from boiling over, the N. Korean media fails to report the true extent.
Rail road damaged, and travel by train banned, reconstruction badly hampered
support columns of railroad bridges were shaken loose, the ground foundation of rail tracks has given way. It will take a long time to repair them.
Troops are not used for repair and reconstruction now because they are all on wartime alert.
Ping!
Well, that's a good reason to not help people... I see it as their way of reducing the population and resultant demands by letting them all die off. THe fewer there are, the easier they are to control. What animals. (my apologies to animals everywhere)
Unless the military is affected I don't see how this will have any effect on Kim's power.
Another brick in the wall.
I think you're right. The less people there are, the less to feed.
The North Koreans have put themselves into a situation where their population continues to shrink. There has to be less births due to a scarcity of food. Who would want to have children when you can't even feed yourself?
Military which can't move, or eat. You can start a local uprising, and troops can't be there to shoot them. Roads, rails broke down, and they are hungry, too.
Well, given time, they will get there, but it could embolden the desperate.
Those poor people. Pray for them to be freed from oppression and hardship.
The UN will send more aid and get them out of this. They don't care if they lose 10,000 people...fewer mouths to feed, and you can bet the army was high and dry.
Wonder if the Tiger seeded some clouds... or the Bear did?
Tigers and Bears; a great game!
I am not so sure. UN would want strict monitoring process, which N. Korean regime live would refuse even if it would lead to the additional death of tens of thousands.
I heard it's the Karl Rove's evil weather machine.:)
* Colossal mismanagement and leadership on the grandest scale
* Irresponsible deforestation by desparate people allowing for lethal mudslides
* Starvation
* Malaria outbreaks
But, hey, they've got nukes! KJI, has run 'his' people into the ground in the most savage and sub-human way, but he's managed to get nukes, so dammit, he matters.
N Koreans need to revolt. It's crazy to put up with this kind of life.
Next you know, everybody will travel on foot in N. Korea, while Kim Jong-il deploys nuclear missiles capable of hitting Barbara Streisand's Malibu mansion.:)
By the way, what is Barbara's position on current Israeli War on Hizbullah?
Maybe the flood was caused by Chm. Kim's wave machine breaking.
"According to former servants, his favorite palace of seven floors contains an enormous swimming pool with a wave machine, a huge gourmet kitchen, a karaoke bar and a movie theatre."
http://www.conservativetruth.org/article.php?id=3458&PHPSESSID=7c39f02eee9503fcd531...
If so, he may be exporting it to Iran so that it could be installed in S. Lebanon.:)
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