Torrential rain battered North Korea's capital and other regions over the weekend amid concerns that flooding may aggravate the country's food shortages, AFP reported, quoting state media.
The official Korean Central News Agency said up to 287 millimeters of rain fell in Pyongyang and the provinces of South Phyongan and South Hamgyong between Friday and Saturday, according to AFP.
The North, after decades of deforestation, is particularly vulnerable to flooding, which worsens chronic food shortages by washing away crops.
The latest torrential rain could damage the North's farmland and force the communist regime to call for outside food assistance, AFP said, quoting Yonhap.
"It's hard to make accurate predictions, but chances are high that North Korea has suffered flood damage given its weak capability of maintaining and controlling the flooding," Yonhap said.
"In that case, the food crisis can worsen so that North Korea cannot but request the international community for assistance."
North Korea in 2007 reported at least 600 people dead or missing following devastating floods that caused huge damage to all sectors of the economy.