More than 4,000 homes ravaged, villages destroyed, dead, for several days the summer floods have been devastating North Korea. The army has been mobilized to help the displaced and limit the damage which is concentrated in the very sensitive region of the Chinese border. This destruction affects in particular military installations and key communication routes. The situation is worrying enough for Kim Jong-un himself to show up on the ground with the most deprived.
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From the window of his SUV, which is partly submerged by the waters, the North Korean leader looks at the damage with a serious air. A scene that demonstrates the seriousness of the floods that are ravaging the northwest of his country.
In state media, Kim Jong-un described the events as a serious crisis, caused by the unpreparedness of local authorities. He led the operations that saved more than 4,200 people, including with the help of army helicopters. That is the narrative transmitted by North Korean propaganda.
The damage could be significantly greater in mountainous regions close to the Chinese border.
A satellite analysis by the specialist website NK News shows that an entire village, Kwangmyong-ri, has been wiped off the map. A commune of 160 buildings near a river.
The waters are said to be visible around a brand new munitions factory built last year and under scrutiny as part of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
The South Korean Red Cross offered help to the neighbor, an offer that went unanswered.
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