North Korea Fears Famine After Floods

North Korea is worried about how it will feed its people after severe flooding forced the government to reduce rice rations nationwide, a Red Cross official said Monday.

“Everyone is scared to death about this food issue,” said Dr. Piero Calvi Parisetti of the Red Cross.

Calvi spent about a month in North Korea to arrange the distribution of rice, quilts and building supplies. He left last week and will return Tuesday for three weeks to make sure the aid is distributed to those in need.

The usually secretive communist North Korean government appealed to the international community for help after the August floods, which the government says wiped out 40 percent of the rice crop.