At least 109 people died or disappeared as a result of Typhoon Bolaven between August 28th and September 3rd, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC).
The IFRC reported in a bulletin released on the 5th that official North Korean statistics showed 59 dead and 50 disappeared, with 1 injured and 7,900 homes flooded, damaged or destroyed.
In addition, 52,300ha of agricultural land was flooded or swept away, 887 public buildings and 91 production facilities were destroyed or flooded, and 1,273 roads and 283 bridges were cut.
The worst-affected areas were the provinces of North and South Pyongan, North and South Hwanghae, North and South Hamkyung, Yangkang and Jagang, but the area with the worst statistics as reported was South Hamkyung Province, which suffered 48 of the deaths, 45 of the disappearances and 3,952 of the homes destroyed, damaged or flooded.
According to the bulletin, the Red Cross has been working hard to respond to the latest serious weather event to hit a North Korea weakened by heavy summer rains.
“In response to the latest typhoon, [the Chosun Red Cross Society], with the support of IFRC, released 2,515 emergency relief kits, including quilts with covers, cooking sets, plastic sheets, jerry cans, hygiene kits and water purification tablets, which were distributed to the flood affected families covering 11,604 beneficiaries in three provinces,” it noted.
