(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-26 13:02

PYONGYANG - A serious flood caused by heavy rain that started earlier this month in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have left 100,000 people homeless, the official news agency reported on Saturday.

The heavy rain, which started on August 7, hit all parts of the DPRK and caused huge losses of life and property, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

"Torrential rain, strong wind and landslide left at least 600 people dead or missing and thousands of people wounded," said the KCNA quoting the information available from the DPRK Central Statistics Bureau.

This flood has affected some 900,000 people and left at least 100,000 people homeless, it added.

The flood also destroyed many main roads across the country including the expressway between the capital and Kaesong, which caused the postponement of the second inter-Korean summit scheduled at the end of August.

"The flood destroyed major roads and tourist roads extending some 600km in at least 2,000 sections in Pyongyang-Kaesong motorway, Pyongyang-Wonsan tourist motorway and others, as well as some 2,200 sections of bridges," said the KCNA.

"The unusual heavy rain caused huge material losses to the DPRK, creating unprecedented difficulties for people's life and economic construction," it added.

After the DPRK called on the international community to provide emergency assistance due to huge losses in its economy, South Korea has announced providing about 44.5 billion won (US$47.5 million) worth of cement, heavy equipments and relief materials to the DPRK.