Flooding misery worsens in North Korea

Reuters 2012-08-04

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State television in North Korea shows scenes of flooding across the isolated, poverty-wracked country.

More than 100 people have died and over 84,000 have been left homeless by rising water levels - caused by a powerful typhoon in July.

United Nations officials - meeting in Switzerland - say the flooding has reached crisis point and could lead to famine and spread disease.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PATRICK MCCORMICK, SPOKESMAN OF UNITED NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S EMERGENCY FUND (UNICEF), SAYING:

" Many of the wells have been contaminated by sewage we're especially concerned about children drinking contaminated water, diseases such as water-borne diseases sweeping through families who are in already desperate situations."

A UN report released last month said two-thirds of North Koreans - some 16 million people - already suffer from chronic food shortages.

Andrew Raven, Reuters

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