International bodies send teams to visit the Stalinist nation for a second time in a month. After a long drought, the country was hit last month by heavy rains that killed 90 people and left 60,000 homeless. About US$ 198 million are needed for immediate needs; however, Pyongyang has antagonised Seoul and Washington with its military provocations.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - A United Nations team has just visited North Korea and found that after a second major downpour in a month, the country is on the brink of disaster. After months of drought, heavy rains swept away homes, contaminated drinking water and damaged the crops that had survived the drought. At least 90 people have died so far with more than 60,000 made homeless. According to the UN staff, US$ 198 million are needed in humanitarian aid to meet immediate needs.

The UN team visited the worst-hit provinces where thousands of homes were wiped out by rain, forcing thousands of residents to live in emergency shelters, this in a country where two thirds of the population already lives with chronic food shortages.

"Drinking water is a critical issue with the water systems having been taken out of action," International Federation of Red Cross East Asia spokesman Francis Markus said. "There's obviously a danger of water-borne diseases if things are not done to improve the situation," not to mention the dangers associated with lost crops and damages to people.

International organisations have appealed for Western aid but face a major hurdle. Because of North Korea's nuclear programme and continuous military provocations, its two largest donors, the United States and South Korea, have stopped their aid to punish Pyongyang.

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