Korean relief effort hitting food stocks

THE World Food Programme warned yesterday that the relief effort for those hit by the devastating North Korea train blast was depleting limited food stocks intended to feed 6.5 million other desperate people.

The United Nations’ food agency said it would launch a $1 million appeal for 1,000 tonnes of emergency food aid to help thousands of North Koreans affected by the explosion in Ryongchon that killed at least 150.

“We are in the short-term meeting the emergency food aid needs of these people through the existing stocks,” said Anthony Banbury, the programme’s regional director for Asia.

These stocks though are meant for other North Koreans, who are also suffering in the impoverished country, such as children and the elderly.

The new appeal would keep 7,000 people fed for 30 days, the agency said.

Mr Banbury said the effort to feed the blast victims would continue for at least seven months, until the end of the harvest.

North Korea said damage caused by the explosion will come to about $356m.