North Korea's official media continues to issue reports on the "worst drought in a century" in its western central areas, saying over the weekend that drought damage in a province just southeast of Pyongyang is serious enough to cause food shortages among its residents.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Saturday, citing official data, that nearly 20,000 hectares of farmland have been parched in North Hwanghae Province as of June 23 and crops are withering away in the province.
It noted that in particular, Hwangju County, a major granary of the province, has been severely affected by the long spell of drought.
Hwangbo Son-nyo, an old woman living in Koyon-ri, was quoted as telling KCNA she had never witnessed such dry weather in the area in 70 years.
Ri Sun-pom, chairman of the County Rural Economy Committee, also told the agency, "It is hard to expect harvest in more than 2,000 hectares of corn-fields across the county though seeds were sowed thrice."
The KCNA went on to report that most reservoirs in the county have gone dry and some paddy fields still remain unsown because of a lack of water, saying, "this situation hinders the smooth supply of food to the residents."
Earlier this month, the KCNA said North Korea's western coastal area has been seriously affected by the drought that started in late April, citing the lowest precipitation in a century.
In a dispatch from Pyongyang on June 13, the agency said only 1 to 5 millimeters of rainfall has been reported in some parts of Pyongyang City, South Phyongan Province and North and South Hwanghae provinces since April, the lowest for Pyongyang City in 105 years. (Yonhap)
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