Signs of at least eight new housing complexes being constructed in Jagang Province, North Korea, an area reportedly hit by severe flooding last summer, have emerged, shedding further light on the extent of the damage in the region.
Voice of America, citing photos from the private satellite company Planet Labs, reported on Tuesday that buildings presumed to be apartments were newly constructed in eight areas, including Sijung County, Choncheon-eup, and Songgan-eup in Jagang Province.
In August, existing residential areas were observed to have been devastated, with temporary tent shelters set up for displaced residents. Over approximately three months, apartment rebuilding appears to have occurred.
The construction of new housing complexes in at least eight villages in Jagang Province suggests that the damage from last summer’s flooding was substantial.
Previously, North Korean state media only disclosed the flood damage situation in North Pyongan Province during reports in July, omitting any mention of Jagang Province. This omission has been interpreted as an attempt to downplay the significant scale of the damage in Jagang. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Jagang for the first time since last month’s disaster, nearly three months after the flooding.
The South Korean government reported in October that “satellite images confirm that over 200 homes were buried in the Gwangmyeong-ri area of Songgan County, Jagang Province.” They further analyzed, “Due to the area’s topography, it is likely that residents were unable to evacuate in time, leading to a high likelihood of large-scale casualties.”
