International Relief Efforts Continue for North Korean Train Disaster

At last count, 161 people have been killed, five are missing and 1,300 others have been injured in the explosion at Yongcheon station of North Pyongan province in North Korea on April 22.

An international investigation board consisting of relief agencies including OCHA (The United Nations Office for Coordination of Human Affairs) announced the figures in a second report after returning from a field-investigation visit to Yongcheon on April 24.

According to what the Disaster Relief Board of Yongcheon-gun, headed by Jang Song-keun, told to the international investigation board, as of 2:00 p.m. that day, 161 bodies were collected and about 370 of the 1,300 injured were sent to the hospitals in Sinuiju, about 20 km away from the city. The casualty list includes 76 children.

In addition, 1,850 houses were either completely destroyed or are likely to collapse. 8,000 victims have been moved to a temporary rescue camp.

A total of 12 public buildings around the station completely collapsed, and 10 were partially collapsed. Water, electricity and telephone services suffered greatly as well.

The international investigation board said the accident happened as two freight cars loading 40 tons of nitric acid ammonium each bumped into a freight car loading fuel oil while crews were working on railway line replacement on the 22nd.

The freight was to be carried to the Baekma-Cheolsan irrigated district.

KCNA, the official North Korean news agency reported in its first broadcast after the accident in the morning of the 24th that “the explosion broke out due to contact with electrical lines while overhauling freight cars with nitric acid ammonium and oil cars.”

The international investigation board pointed out that international aid should be urgently given as the North Korean medical system is not in good condition.

In particular, it emphasizes that rapid restoration of a temporary rescue camp, school and public facilities are necessary.

Besides the OCHA, UNICEF, the WHO, the WFP, the FAO, the IFRC and the ICRC are also participating in the relief effort.

Aid from the international community is being rushed in. China sent relief supplies worth about 1.5 billion won on April 24, while the OCHA and the UNDP have allotted a relief fund of 50 thousand dollars (about 60 million won) each.

leej@donga.com