North Korea: Thousands stranded as Kim declares 'emergency'

A photograph taken by state media shows Kim Jong Un travelling through a flooded area in a Lexus.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersThousands hit by N Korea floods as Kim calls 'emergency'Rodong SinmunMr Kim was shown to be travelling through a flooded area in a black Lexus carRecord-breaking rain left thousands of people stranded by floods in North Korea over the weekend, prompting leader Kim Jong Un to declare an "emergency", state media reports.

Photographs show submerged farmland and homes after heavy rain hit Sinuiju city and Uiju county, which border China, according to the Rodong Sinmun.

State media said many were later rescued by airlift, although the BBC is unable to independently verify details of the report.

Such natural disasters are likely to compound existing issues like food scarcity and poor infrastructure in North Korea.

The secretive state - which is perhaps better known for concealing negative issues happening within its borders to the outside world - appears to have been relatively open about this latest disaster, with the official newspaper noting it was a "grave crisis".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c84jnn9llgzo

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