According to MBC News, North Korean TV is reporting flooding in parts of N. Korea as a result of 300mm rains bought on by Typhoon Wipha. It is also reporting that “losses are huge as a result of flooding before recovery work from the previous flood was finished”.
So, does this mean that an another summit postponement isn’t too far behind?
9 Comments
North Korea, which relatively inland, got more rain that the southern tip of South Korea? I find that hard to believe.
Socialist countries always have worse weather.
I think NK is particularly vulnerable to heavy rains and flooding because of the considerable environmental damages done to the landscape (i.e. lack of tree = f*cked when it rains hard). Is this right, or am I just spewing out scientifically laughable bs?
bfk is absolutely right. NK has cut down most of its forests and cultivated slopes that should have been left untouched. (not all of this was driven by hungry peasants; erroneous planting policies inspired by the Kim’s “on the spot guidance” contributed) I’ve looked across the Tumen River from China into North Korea. China, which itself is deforested by North American/European standards, appears lush compared to the North.
Go check out the outlook posts at Imjingak or Panmunjom on a clear autumn day: the easiest way to tell which mountains lie North of the DMZ is to look for the denuded ones.
I concur with you guys regarding deforestation in NK; I’ve read the same. Since mountains have no plants to absorb the water back into the land, it simply runs off rapidly, causing flooding and more soil erosion. While South Korea was planting many trees, North Korea was busy cutting them down and engaging in ruinous farming practices. South Korea still has a real problem with educating the public and local officials about environmental issues though. That is why we have such environmental disasters as the Saemanguem project.
Part of any aid package to NK should include the means to replant the mountains there but this will take time to repair.
In this case, NK actually did hit more that SK. The typhoon hit China then headed due north before turning to the north east. It made landfall in North Korea somewhere between Pyongyang and the Chinese border.
I believe it pretty much followed its projected path shown here: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/s.....331759.htm
Oh, and Kim Jong-il is the devil.
(I don’t want anyone thinking that I’ve become any less of a rabid commie-hater.)
“NK has cut down most of its forests”
Well, whatever was left of it after it had been napalmed throughout the Korean War.
“Well, whatever was left of it after it had been napalmed throughout the Korean War.”
That’s a joke, right?