DPR Korea: Heat Wave - Aug 2018

According to the DPRK state media, Korean Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, an emergency response was declared on 2 August 2018 because of unusually hot weather. On the same day, DPRK RCS officially informed IFRC of a developing slow onset emergency in both South Pyongan and South Hamgyong provinces due to a heat wave affecting the Korean Peninsula that has also severely affected the routine of people, agricultural activities and crops. The heat wave, starting as early as 11 July 2018, has brought on record temperatures as high as 40℃ across the country, and deaths from the heat wave have been reported. The heat wave has also seriously affected the main agricultural producers in the southern provinces of the country. (IFRC, 9 Aug 2018)

[B]elow‑average rains from mid-July until mid-August, normally the wettest months, coupled with high temperatures, resulted in moisture stress during critical crop development stages in localized areas of the main crop producing provinces, including South and North Hwanghae, and South and North Hamgyong...Provisional estimates provided by the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) indicate that, as of early August, 98 892 hectares of cropland had been affected by the dry weather conditions...This covers 24 664 hectares of paddy and 74 228 hectares of other food crops, including maize and potatoes. The estimated total area affected represents 8 percent of the average area cultivated during the main season. Any drop in production could further aggravate food insecurity. (FAO GIEWS, 5 Sep 2018)