300,000 people volunteer to help with flood aftermath in DPRK
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In the past week, torrential rains in India and China have resulted in over 200 deaths, with an additional three fatalities reported in Pakistan.
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Undated photo provided by the DPRK government shows a flood-hit area in Sinuiju city, North Phyongan province in North Korea (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
According to Democratic People's Republic of Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, up to 300,000 people have reacted to the Workers' Party of Korea's (WPK) request for assistance in coping with the consequences of floods in northern North Korea.
In the past week, torrential rains in India and China have resulted in over 200 deaths, with an additional three fatalities reported in Pakistan. The DPRK, near the China border, has experienced widespread flooding, but there are no reports of casualties.
Kim was quoted as telling reporters on Tuesday by the KCNA, the government's news organization, that nearly 300,000 young people have volunteered to go to the areas of recovery from flood damage, "in less than a week after a decision was made by the Party to dispatch the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade to the housing construction in the flood-hit areas."
Kim extended greetings to parents of those who "sent their dear sons and daughters to the grand construction sites without hesitation" and thanked the DPRK's Socialist Patriotic Youth League, which had "inspired many young people to volunteer through an earnest appeal."
Historical data indicate that China is experiencing more extreme heat days and increasingly intense rainfall, as noted in a recent report by the China Meteorological Administration, which predicts these trends will continue over the next 30 years.
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Kim Jong Un denounces S. Korea media over 'false' flood damage reports
Last week, Kim Jong Un accused South Korean media of spreading false rumors about flood damage and casualties in DPRK, according to state media.
This accusation follows Seoul's offer of humanitarian aid in response to reports suggesting the death toll from the floods could be as high as 1,500.
TV Chosun and other outlets also reported the potential deaths of rescue workers in helicopter crashes. Kim slammed these reports as false and said they are aimed at tarnishing DPRK's image.
Kim "bitterly censured the inveterate habits and despicable nature of the ROK scum," in reference to South Korea, KCNA said Saturday.
The DPRK leader described the flooding reports as a South Korean "smear campaign" aimed at disgracing DPRK.
Pyongyang affirmed that there were no casualties in Sinuiju, the area reportedly most affected by the floods, stating that DPRK's Air Force rescued over 5,000 people, with around 4,200 of them saved by helicopter "within a few hours."
