Rainfall fails to end drought in North Korea
Iran Press TV
Tue Jun 23, 2015 6:24AM
North Korea is still experiencing a severe drought, described as the worst in a century, despite significant rainfall in the country's southwest over the past 12 days, state media say.
Parts of North and South Hwanghae provinces received "much rain" in a period from June 11 to 22, ranging from 72 millimeters (mm) in Anak County to 95 mm in the city of Haeju, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Monday.
"Though it rained in North and South Hwanghae provinces, drought will continue to linger in the country," KCNA quoted Sim Myong Ok, the deputy director of the North's Central Weather Forecast Station, as saying.
"As the anticyclone over (the) northwest Pacific, which would affect the Eastern Asia, is not getting stronger enough due to El Nino, the rainy season is anticipated to set in late with comparatively little rainfall," Sim added.
KCNA reported in June that North Korea was hit by its worst drought in a century.
The country's main rice-growing provinces – North Hwanghae, South Hwanghae, South Pyongan and South Hamgyong – have been badly affected by the drought.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, monitoring the drought in the Korean Peninsula, has predicted that the North's 2015 crop production could fall 20 percent year-on-year.
North Korea has suffered regular chronic food shortages.
UN figures show that over 70 percent of North Koreans are food insecure and 28 percent of children under the age of five have suffered stunted growth due to malnutrition.
The UN launched an appeal in April for 111 million dollars in food aid to the country.
SF/MKA/HJL
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