Successful evacuation: In this photo provided by the North Korean government, people who were rescued from the floods are seen carrying their belongings after being airlifted to safety. — AP
More than 5,000 people isolated by flooding in the northwestern region were rescued in airlifts and other evacuation work supervised by leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported.
Heavy rainfall last Saturday had caused a river on the North Korean-Chinese border to exceed a dangerous level and created “a grave crisis”, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said yesterday.
About 10 military helicopters and navy and government boats were mobilised for the evacuation efforts in Sinuiju city and Uiju town where flooding had isolated residents.
KCNA did not mention any deaths or how much damage the flooding caused.
It said each of the about 10 helicopters made several fights to move the residents despite bad weather, ultimately rescuing 4,200 by airlift.It said Kim guided the evacuation works yesterday, ordered food and other necessities to be provided to those affected and set tasks for relief works.
Summer floods in North Korea often cause serious damage to farmlands due to poor drainage, deforestation and dilapidated infrastructure.
Typhoons and torrential rains in 2020 were among the difficulties Kim previously said had created “multiple crises” at home, along with draconian pandemic-related restrictions and United Nations sanctions over his nuclear weapons programme.
During his weekend visit to the flooded region, Kim also chastised officials for lowering their guard even though he had ordered efforts to prevent flood damage more than once, KCNA said.
“They, seized with defeatism at combat with nature, do not confidently turn out in the disaster prevention work, only expecting chance from the sky,” Kim said, according to KCNA.
He said the North’s emergency response agency and the Public Security Ministry did not even know the exact populations of flooded areas, so the number of people rescued was more than expected.
Kim’s criticism could be seen as an effort to shift blame while establishing himself as a caring leader as North Korea struggles with economic difficulties and international isolation, observers say. — AP
