DPR Korea Inter-Agency Report: Flood damage in south Hwanghae province

Following heavy rains between 29 July and 1 August the Flood Damage Rehabilitation Committee of the Government of DPR Korea (FDRC) arranged an assessment mission for resident agencies and NGOs¹ to South Hwanghae province on 2 August. This report reflects the collective views of the agencies and organisations who participated in the mission.
The rains followed a period of spring drought, which has been mentioned in earlier reports from the country, including the recently issued Crop and Food Supply Assessment Special Report compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme, which was issued on 26 July. A copy of the report can be obtained from http://www.reliefweb.int.

During the visit to South Hwanghae province the inter-agency team was provided with the opportunity to view areas which had been affected by the floods in Yonan and Paechon counties as well as to inspect rice and maize crops affected by flooding. Local officials informed the team that the floods were caused by a combination of heavy rainfall and high tides, the latter of which prevented run-off water from draining into the sea at sufficiently high speed.

South Hwanghae is one of the 'rice bowl' provinces producing large quantities of rice and maize in the flat plains prevalent in this part of the country. Yields per hectare for staple crops are generally higher than average and local officials reported to the group that, prior to the flooding, it was anticipated that the current year's crop would be high given that a larger supply of fertilisers and plastic sheeting had been provided than last year, the power supply and irrigation systems had been improved, and the weather conditions had been favorable since the drought broke at the beginning of June.

The inter-agency team was provided with the following information by local officials:

Emergency measures have been taken by the Government to alleviate the problems caused by the flooding. Auxiliary pumping equipment has been brought in to pump the water out of the paddy fields as a total of 27 drainage pumps were either damaged or destroyed by the flood water. However, the fact that rice was submerged under water for 3 days or more is likely to seriously affect the yields in these two counties.

In addition to damage to agricultural production the flooding has knocked out a number of bridges, brought down power lines and caused damage and destruction to property as well as two deaths, caused by lightning strikes. The Government is also providing assistance to families whose homes have been damaged. It could be observed that the houses were wet and moldy. Provision of safe water and sanitation have certainly been affected by the floods. These living conditions increase the risk to children of catching more infection, particularly acute respiratory infection and diarrhoea, which will, in turn, reduce the nutritional status of children.

Locally mobilised work teams have already made considerable progress in repairing road surfaces, reinforcing embankments and clearing up after the storm. Power has been restored, with an emphasis on ensuring power provision to the drainage pumping stations which are working at full capacity to pump flood waters out of the affected areas.

ANALYSIS

Rice which has not yet begun to produce rice grains can survive under water for no longer than 24 hours, after which it continues to grow but will provide no harvest. In the small number of places where grain formation has started it is estimated that the yield will be no more than 50 percent of potential.

A very rough calculation of estimated future loss of rice yields on the basis of information provided by local officials on 2 August² reveals the following:

CONCLUSION:

Should there be no further adverse weather the total harvest will provide sufficient food to support the population of the county. However, the anticipated surplus which would normally be provided to other provinces and counties via the Public Distribution System will be much reduced. Given DPR Korea's already chronic problems with food insecurity, flooding as well as storm and drought damage, even when confined to small areas of the country, can have a serious effect on the food supply situation.

July and August are the two months of the year when rainfall is heaviest in DPR Korea. The possibility of typhoons and tropical storms reaching the Korean peninsula increases and so it may be assumed that further damage will be caused to agricultural production prior to the harvest which will take place during September and October.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Mr. David MortonResident/Humanitarian Co-ordinatorOCHA - DPR KoreaTel: +850-2-3817-571Fax: +850-2-3817-603E-mail: david.morton@wfp.org

Mr. Brendan McDonaldHumanitarian Affairs OfficerOCHA - DPR KoreaTel: +850-2-3817-298Fax: +850-2-3817-639E-mail: ocha.dprk@wfp.org

This Bulletin Supplemental is also available at http://www.reliefweb.int/.

The next OCHA Situation Bulletin will be produced in September and will cover analysis, events and activities in July and August

Footnote

¹ Agencies and organisations represented were: the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the WFP Food Aid Liaison Unit (FALU), Campus fur Christus and the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC).

² It should be noted that information provided by local officials was initial estimates as assessments were still being undertaken.

³ The figure of 6.5Mts/ha is based on projections made by local agricultural officials.