Over 800 killed or missing from N.Korea floods

SOUTH KOREA: More than 800 North Koreans are dead or missing after major rain storms and flooding that damaged homes and farmland, a pro-North newspaper published in Japan reported from Pyongyang on Monday.

Three major storms drenched North Korea in July, washing away crops and raising the possibility of famine in a reclusive country that already battles chronic food shortages.

The Choson Sinbo said that as of July 17 that 549 people were killed, 295 went missing and 3,043 were injured in the storms.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said last Friday that flooding in the second week of July had killed 151 people and left 29 missing.

"Heavy rains fell in parts of (North Korea) between July 14 and 16 and caused major damage," Choson Sinbo said in a report posted on its Web site (www.korea-np.co.jp). The floods affected 28,747 families, 7,500 of which saw their homes destroyed, it said.

Nearly 24,000 hectares of farmland were damaged either by flooding or being washed away, the report said. The area is equivalent to about 1.3 percent of the North's arable land, according to data published by the South Korean government.

Meanwhile the death toll in south China from floods and landslides caused by tropical storm Prapiroon has risen to 77, state media reported on Monday. In southern Guangxi province, Prapiroon killed 26 people, destroyed 9,300 houses and damaged 20,000 hectares (77 square miles) of cropland, Xinhua news agency said.

In neighbouring Guangdong province, Prapiroon had killed 51, causing economic losses of 5.4 billion yuan ($677 million) since landing there last Thursday, Xinhua said.

Seoul, Beijing, Monday, Reuters