19 August 1996 IHA/604
FLOODING AFFECTS 3 MILLION PEOPLE IN DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA; UN APPEALS FOR ASSISTANCE 19960819NEW YORK, 16 August (Department of Humanitarian Affairs) -- Exactly one year after unprecedented torrential rains devastated much of the agricultural sector and infrastructure of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, heavy rainfall in July-August is once again causing widespread flooding in that country.Heavy damage has been sustained in 117 cities and counties in eight provinces in the south-western and northern parts of the country. At least 116 people have been reported killed, and approximately 3 million people affected. The country's agricultural sector, which suffered crippling damage from last year's flooding, has been dealt another severe blow, since flooding was heaviest in the south-western area, which is considered to be its main granary. The Government estimates this latest damage to be about $1.7 billion. The Department of Humanitarian Affairs is approaching all nations to alert them to the damage caused by the new floods and urging them to support the United Nations consolidated inter-agency appeal for flood-related emergency humanitarian assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, launched in June. This would allow United Nations agencies to take adequate measures to address the most urgent and outstanding problems resulting from the devastation wreaked by the floods. So far, the response to the June appeal has only been slightly more than 40 per cent, concentrated mainly in the food sector. The number one emergency relief priority remains food aid. In terms of rehabilitation, the repairing of irrigation canals, dykes, bridges and access roads takes on a special urgency, as the harvesting of the maize and rice crop is due to start within the next 45 to 60 days. * *** *
United Nations
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