North Korea says 437,000 affected by floods: WFP

GENEVA (AFP) - Floods in North Korea in recent weeks have affected 437,000 people and damaged more than one-fifth of the country's rice crop, according to official North Korean estimates, the UN's food relief agency said yesterday.

"According to figures from the North Korean agriculture ministry, 223,381 hectares of rice, corn, and soja (soybean) have been damaged, or more than 20 percent of rice crops, and 15 percent of corn fields," said World Food Programme spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume.

The reclusive communist state had so far reported about 300 people dead or missing after torrential rain earlier this month, 300,000 homeless and 11 percent of the grain harvest -- equivalent to 450,000 tonnes -- lost.

Berthiaume gave no new estimate of the number of homeless in the 92 affected counties or of overall relief aid needs in the country, which was already heavily dependent on WFP food deliveries beforehand.

The WFP has already announced that it will distribute food aid to 215,000 people for three months, in districts where the agency are present and can watch over distribution.

Separately, UN officials in New York announced they would launch an appeal for emergency funds of between 15 and 20 million dollars to help North Korea recover from the floods.

"The waters are now receding," said Margareta Wahlstrom, deputy head of the UN's Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance.

Wahlstrom said that the funds would be used for emergency needs such as food, water and medical supplies.

On August 14 Secretary General Ban Ki-moon ordered several UN agencies to carry out an evaluation of the needs of the North Korean population.