TOPIC: Floods- North Korea
1 Task Description
The word ‘flood’ simply referring to occupation of large land area of land with water for several time period. The main cause of this flood is heavy rain with prolonged length usually triggered by tropical cyclone. However, on the 29th
and 30th
August of 2018, tropical cyclone passed to the south west of Democratic People’s Republic (DPR) Korea. It resulted in heavy downpour of rain over a 48 hours period of which caused flash floods in North and South Hwanghae Province affecting local people and environment nearby.(UNOCHA, 2018)
The objective of this paper attempt to report a specific flood that have occurred in the North and South Hwanghae Province of North Korea on the 29th
and 30th
August 2018. Furthermore, it highlight some of the serious impacts that it has on the local people and the natural environment. Toward the end it mention some of my opinion regarding the study topic.
2 Geographical location-
Map (figure 1)
(Screen shoots)Fig 1; North Korea `physical map, (Britannica, 1998)Fig 2; North Korea map from world view,(Brown, 2016)
North Korea is located in the Eastern part of Asia
(see figure 2 above)
, on the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. The land is formed by the Korean Peninsula and the 4,198 small island and atoll that surrounding it. The country is bordered on the north by China and Russia through the rivers of Amork and Duman, Korea Bay on the east, on the west is Sea of Japan and on the south is surrounded by Yellow sea and South Korea. The country national capital is Pyongyang, and is a major industrial and transport center near west coast.(Britannica, 1998)
The mountains covers approximately 80% of the land and the medium height above sea level is 440 m above sea level. North Korea climate is mostly mild climate with different seasons of the year. Mid-year temperature is between 8°C and 12 °C, rainfall is about 1.123 mm. Total sunshine in a year is much higher than most other regions in the same latitude around the world. These season helps the cultivation of rice and other crops in the area by the locals.(Brown, 2016)
3 GEOGRAPHICAL FORMATION OF THE FLOOD
On the 16th
of August 2018, tropical storm was formed from the coast of Guam as a small storm and gradually develop to a medium-sized typhoon. Around 6:00 am, 23rd
of August, Typhoon Soulik began to come across from Guam to the Korean Peninsula. According to UNOCHA, Soulik struck the northern part of the peninsula causing heavy rain and gale force wind. Although typhoon has weakened, if forms a rain belt which has bought unstable weather and heavy down pour in DPRK. On 29th
and 30th
of August 2018, heavy rainfall spreads across the Korea peninsula lead to several floods across the north and south Hwanghae Province in North Korea,
see fig 3 and fig 4 below.
(UNOCHA, 2018)
Fig3; Flash flood and mudslides, Fig4; Urban flooding, (Screen shoots)
(UNOCHA, 2018)
Generally the floods are caused by a combination of tropical cyclone and heavy rainfall which causing the rivers to over flow their banks inland. The tropical typhoon cause a large rain belt which forms heavy rain that spreads across the province. When precipitation/rainfall occurs for a long period of time, large volume of water gathered on the ground thus reduces the soil ability to absorbed water because there is more water in the soil already (infiltration rate exceeded). In other words it reduced the percolation rate which results in more run-off. The flood develop over a period of time, when there is too much rainwater to percolate into the soil, it builds up on the land causing large run-off and discharge. When this happen, streams and rivers became flood.(UNOCHA, 2018)
There are also several human induce factors which contribute partially to increase the size of the flood like deforestation upstream and urbanization.(Cha, 2018)
Based on Cha studies have stated that during heavy down pour of rain, rainfall intensity and rainfall duration are the main factors in determining flood of a particular area.
3.1 Precipitation/Rainfall:
Rainfall is the major important natural factor that cause this flood. North Korea is located on a tropical monsoon region where it normally experience heavy rainfalls in a year during monsoon period of the year. Monsoon normally arrives in June and last until September. The two key elements that of rain which cause flooding are the rainfall intensity and rainfall duration. (Cha, 2018)
3.1.2 Rainfall intensity:
Researchers stated that rainfall intensities are of great importance in this case for generating this flood, and it is being suggested that high water discharge are produced by an ideal combination of storm intensity and basin structures. Large volume of water through high rainfall rate is the required condition of river flood to occur. All local rivers maintain low flow of discharge water during most times but suddenly torrential rainfall (heavy down pour of rainfall) cause water volume to increase which cannot be controlled by river itself and thus river banks are overtopped the normal size by swelling inland causing flood.(Cha, 2018)
3.2.2 Duration of rainfall:
Duration of rainfall also plays a key role for causing this flood. In our case, the rainfall duration is long enough about 48 hours, therefor water percolating rate is greatly reduced resulting in high runoff areas causing flood. Under good condition the percolating water filtrate easily reducing water volume neither not which causes the water to overflow the table to the ground surface, reducing the infiltration rate to zero leading to serious flood in the area. Heavy rains of long duration produces high rate of runoff water which causes flood. (Cha, 2018)
3 ITS DISASTEROUS IMPACTS ON THE LOCAL PEOPLE
The impacts and effects of the floods on the local people are very devastating. Researcher have categorized the flood damage that occurred in DPR Korea into three types, namely primary, secondary and tertiary effects. Primary effects involved damage to houses, and etc. It is due to the direct contact with flood water. Secondary effects are those that occur because of the primary effects and which it relates to the destruction of essential services. Tertiary effects are the long term change that take place due to the flood. In other words tertiary effects refers to the impacts of the flood on the natural environment.(IFRC, 2018)
3.1 Primary effects;
Because of high rainfall. The velocity of the water tends to be high and consequently increases the run-off which results in flood. The rivers and streams flow with higher velocities where they are able to transport large particles like rocks. Such large particles include not only rocks and sediments but also include large objects such as houses, bridges and automobiles. (IFRC, 2018)
During the flood, water enter human built structures causing damage. The flood damage include ruining of furniture, damages to floor and walls of the house and damage any other items that comes in contact with the flood water
,(see figure 5 below
). Automobiles on the roads get stranded in the flood and they get carried away by the flood water or water enters into the automobile, which results in damage that cannot be easily repaired,
(i.e. see figure 6 below).
The flood water carries sediments as large load. As the flood water slows down, more sediments get deposited. Things and structure including interior of buildings usually covered with thick layer of deposited mud. Human who get caught in the flood water often get drowned and die. As a results of large run-off water, it collects and deposits garbage, debris and pollutants that can cause other health effects too. (IFRC, 2018)
Fig 5; Houses damage due to the flood, mudslides cover the area (screen shoots) (UNOCHA, 2018)
Fig 6; Automobiles got stacked and stranded (screen shoots)
(UNOCHA, 2018)
3.2 Secondary effect;
The secondary effects of the flood are the destruction of many essential services of the government infrastructures like electricity and telephone lines, railways, roads, buildings, schools, health centers and etc. During flood services holder cannot attend their offices thus result in business activities get stacked, i.e. bride and road collapse and disrupt the transport system
(see figure 7 below)
and etc. Farm land distrust leads to food supply diminish, indirectly people going starved. (IFRC, 2018)
The people of north and south Hwanghae Province of DPR of Korea suffer from the above effects and impacts devastatingly. During flood, the river water level rises and many people rendered homeless and lost their properties. The entire community have been affected, especially those who live close to the river. According to the statistical data collected by OHCA have identified that 10,700 people have been displaced, 76 people died and 75 people went missing due to the flood. Apart from these, 49 bridges were collapse and damage, 1,758 houses were also damaged (39% submerged, 42% damage completely, 19% partially damaged) including 56 public buildings damage. Ultimately the normal life of people get stacked in this way.(IFRC, 2018)
4 ITS DISASTEROUS IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
4.1 Tertiary effects;
Tertiary effects are long term impacts that take place due to the flood. According to this flood, bank erosion and deposition of agricultural fields are the two main effects of flood in the study area.(IFRC, 2018)
4.1.1 Bank erosion;
Bank erosion; usually occurs because of the high flooded water, usually by removal of soil particles from the surface near the river bank. As a result more environmental features were washed away including plants and animals nearby. Bank erosion usually results in landslide when there is less force to hold back the soil. It results in leaving the soil susceptible for flooding occupying large area of land. Near Eup town, a landslide occur which destroyed and washed away natives houses and belongings. (IFRC, 2018)
4.1.2 Agricultural farmland;
Agriculture farmland are greatly affected due to the deposition of sediments and debris onto the agricultural field,
i.e. (figure 7 below).
Farmland that are affected by flood face a huge loss as they usually results in crop loss. Therefore, prices of crops rises too much which affects the people. Livestock, pets, and other animals are often carried away by the strong current of the flood water. According to UNOCHA reports in north and south Hwanghae Provinces, 17,000 hectares of agricultural land has been impacted by the floods. Flood damage also includes the contamination of drinking water where sewage treatment plans are flooded by high discharge water. (IFRC, 2018)&(UNOCHA U. O., 2018)
Figure 7; Deposition of sediments onto farmland area (screen shoots) (UNOCHA U. O., 2018)
MY OPINION
From the above discussion it is clear that heavy rainfall is the main cause of flood in rivers and streams. The incident of the flood mainly occur in the monsoon months. Rainfall intensities and duration are the most preferable factors causing the flood. Rainfall intensity are the rate to which rain fall on the ground which is determine by the duration of rain. The longer the rain fall, it accumulate and builds up which increases the water volume. Flooding occurs when the volume of water is high and thus infiltration rate exceeded, where there is less water peculating into the soil. Not only natural factors causing the flood but there are some human induced factors like deforestation and increase urbanization plays a vital role in this hazard.
Flood brings huge loss to the public and government properties, natural and human environments. People lost their houses, agriculture crops due to flood. Many people are frightened which makes them to take their shelter in the refugee camps during flood. Roads, government scheme, railways, electrical lines are destroyed. The flood is not only caused by heavy rainfall but actually it is triggered by a tropical typhoon emerged from the coast of Guam in the northern Pacific. Typhoon forms large rain belts which causes heavy down pour of rain across the peninsular for 48 hours, as a result floods occurs. Besides all these, flooding also create space for other disasters to occur like landslide, starving, and etc.
It is also noticed that communities living near river banks are greatly affected than others living away/far from the rivers and streams. More urbanized area located near river banks are more impacted because of the soil availability to hold features rigid are weaken by the flood. To complete, this particular flood is cause by torrential rainfall (heavy down pour) from the source, tropical cyclone. The impacts and effects on the local people and the natural environment is very devastating. Therefore, people who lived away from the river banks are less affected.
References
Britannica. (1998, July 7).
geographical location of North Korea. Retrieved from google: https://www.britannica.com/place/North-Korea
Brown, Tom. (2016, September 3).
Geographical location of North Korea.
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Cha, Sangmai. (2018, October 14).
North Korea floods.
Retrieved from google: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-floods-idUSKCN2523GK
UN Office for the Coordiantion of Humanitarian Affairs. (2018, September 18).
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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, O. (2018, Octobeer 14).
formation of flood in North Korea 2018.
Retrieved from google: https://reliefweb.ink/report/dempcratic-people-republic-korea/democratic-people-republic-korea-typhoon-soulik-operation