Flash floods damage North Korean weapons factories
Vast floods in North Korea are suspected to have damaged some of the reclusive regime’s most important factories, according to new satellite images.
The photos from late July show how record-breaking rainfall has wreaked havoc in the mountainous Jagang and Ryanggang provinces along the Chinese border.
The extent of the flooding may disrupt weapons shipments to Russia, according to NK News, which published the photos by Planet Labs.
South Korea has accused the North of sending millions of artillery shells to Moscow to fuel its war in Ukraine, although both Pyongyang and the Kremlin deny this.
Several weapons factories are believed to be in the area where satellite imagery captured strong waters from the Jangjia River and Yalu rivers surging through the countryside washing away homes, railway bridges and infrastructure.
Kim Jong-un rode in a motorised dinghy, as part of the relief efforts in North Korea – STR/AFP
In one of the photos, the entire village of Kwangmyong-ri, including around 160 homes, a school and public buildings, has disappeared under the torrent.
The destruction of transport links between Songgan and Kanggye and the rest of the country could hamper aid efforts, as well as halting shipments from the factories, said NK News.
Other facilities, including a rapidly built munitions factory north of Songgan and a nearby military-related underground structure, as well as the Kanggye Tractor Factory complex –which reportedly produces missiles – may have been directly flooded.
Earlier this week, state media reported devastating flooding in Sinujiu city and Uiju county, publishing pictures of Kim Jong-un, travelling through flooded roads in his black Lexus and perching on the side of a motorised dinghy to lead the relief efforts.
It said he had been angered by a “grave crisis” caused by local officials and pledged to punish those who had neglected their duties after about 5,000 residents were forced to evacuate the area by air.
The report said public buildings, roads and railways had been swamped but gave no indication of human casualties.
South Korea believes the weather-related disaster has caused a “considerable human toll” and has offered humanitarian assistance, which the North has so far ignored.
Both Seoul’s estimates and the latest satellite imagery suggest the regime has not disclosed the full extent of the catastrophe.
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