China Central Television (CCTV) yesterday reported on the ongoing drought in North Hwanghae Province.

The CCTV report explained how all of North Korea is suffering difficulties, but that the crops in most of the paddy fields in North Hwanghae Province are withering away while the area being seriously affected by the drought is growing all the time.

The report pointed to the counties of Hwangju, Seoheung, Yeontan and Suan as well as the city of Songrim as areas with particularly high crop attrition rates.

The areas cited in the report match those cited in another report carried by Chosun Central News Agency on the 12th. At the time, the KCNA report noted, “Those places that have seen absolutely no rain since the end of April are Gangnam County in Pyongyang, Anak County in South Hwanghae Province, Songrim City and Junghwa County in North Hwanghae Province, Yongkang County and the Kangseo area of Nampo, and Euncheok County in South Hwanghae Province.”

In the case of Pyongyang, the city has seen its lowest rainfall in 105 years at 1-5mm. Eastern areas have seen more than 20mm of rain, but crops there are also reportedly suffering.