North Korea’s Kim Jong-un supervises flood evacuation efforts near China border, KCNA says
- North Korea’s military carried out airlift rescues after heavy rain isolated around 5,000 people, state media reported
More than 5,000 people isolated by flooding in northwest North Korea were rescued in airlifts and other evacuation work supervised by leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported Monday.
Heavy rainfall on Saturday had caused a river on the North Korean-Chinese border to exceed a dangerous level and created “a grave crisis”, the official Korean Central News Agency said.
About 10 military helicopters and navy and government boats were mobilised for the evacuation efforts in Sinuiju city and Uiju town where flooding had isolated residents.
KCNA did not mention any deaths or how much damage the flooding caused. It said each of the about 10 helicopters made several fights to move the residents despite bad weather, ultimately rescuing 4,200 of the affected people by airlift.
It said Kim guided the evacuation works Sunday, ordered food and other necessities to be provided to affected people, and set tasks for recovery and relief works.
KCNA cited Kim as calling the rescue works “miraculous” as more than 5,000 people were saved through the efforts.