DPRK: US$28.2 million urgently needed to provide immediate assistance to 600,000 people affected by Typhoon Lionrock

As a result of the August floods in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 138 people have been confirmed dead and 400 missing. Caused by Typhoon Liorock, the floods have also displaced some 69,000 people, severely affected another 150,000, and left as many as 600,000 in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. The floods have also destroyed thousands of homes, buildings and other critical infrastructure in the north-east of the country.

The 69,000 displaced people are in dire need of adequate shelter. The damaged infrastructure in the flood-affected areas also includes schools, kindergartens, and health clinics. Tens of thousands of hectares of arable land have been inundated, with crops destroyed, and livestock killed. Potentially impacting food security in the region, water systems have also been damaged, leaving communities dependent of sources of water that has likely been contaminated.

Immediately following the floods, humanitarian agencies in DPRK released relief materials from in-country stockpiles including food, nutritional supplements, shelter and kitchen kits, water purification and sanitation supplies, emergency health supplies and education supplies.

Humanitarian agencies in DPRK are requesting US$28.2 million to assist 600,000 people affected by the flooding. The Emergency Response Plan focuses on life-saving activities in shelter, food and agriculture, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and education.

“With the onset of winter just around the corner there is an urgent need for additional funding to scale up the response and provide life-saving support to the tens of thousands of people made homeless by the disaster,” said UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Tapan Mishra.