5,000 rescued from flooding in North Korea, state media says

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — More than 5,000 people isolated by flooding in northwestern North Korea were rescued by airlift and other evacuation work after heavy summer rains caused a river on the Chinese border to swell, state media reported Monday. Summer floods in North Korea often cause serious damage to farmlands due to poor drainage, deforestation and dilapidated infrastructure. The official Korean Central News Agency did not mention any deaths or how much damage the flooding on Saturday caused. KCNA’s coverage of the flooding credited leader Kim Jong Un with overseeing the rescue operation on Sunday, likely aiming to portray him as an able leader handling a disaster and caring about the public’s well-being.