North Korea issues nationwide heavy rain alert for this week

A truck drives on a flooded road, as North Korean state media reports heavy rains pounding the country's western regions, including Sariwon and Nampo cities, June 26. Yonhap

North Korea's state weather agency issued a heavy rain alert Monday for most regions this week, and state-controlled media called for thorough measures to prevent damage from summer downpours.

The State Hydro-Meteorological Administration issued the warning, effective from Monday afternoon through Thursday, for all areas nationwide, except for the northeastern provinces of Ryanggang and North Hamgyong and the northern border city of Rason, according to the Korean Central Broadcasting Station.

It added the western provinces of South and North Hwanghae and the city of Gaeseong near the inter-Korean border are forecast to see up to 300 millimeters of rain until Thursday.

The previous day, the North's media reported that heavy rains and strong winds had pounded Pyongyang and other western parts of the nation. Heavy rains in impoverished North Korea often cause huge damage to its agricultural and other sectors largely due to poor drainage, deforestation and dilapidated infrastructure.

This year's summer rainy season is expected to begin this week in the country amid speculation that it may also affect the secretive regime's schedule for another underground nuclear weapon test in the northeastern mountainous area of Punggye-ri.

"(We) need to prevent damages from floods and heavy rain in all sectors of the people's economy and take thorough measures to normalize production," the country's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun stressed in a front-page editorial. (Yonhap)