Two months after devastating floods hit North Korea, recovery efforts are still in full swing. Daily NK has obtained images revealing the harsh conditions at reconstruction sites, where workers are forced to carry mud with their bare hands.
One photograph from early October shows dozens of men and women in Sinuiju, North Pyongan province, working without proper equipment. Most are barefoot, with men wearing only shorts and sleeveless undershirts. They lack work clothes and basic safety gear.
A source explained, “The food recovery sites are teeming only with people. Equipment and supplies are in woefully short supply. The construction workers suffer a lot with even water in short supply.”
The images depict workers manually flattening the earth, a crucial step before construction can begin. Essential tools like gloves, shovels, buckets, and hemp bags are scarce, forcing people to use their hands.
Another photo shows about 100 workers standing around two pieces of heavy machinery. The source noted, “The workers couldn’t wash themselves after battling mud all day and had to lay in the barracks sweat-sodden.”
Living conditions for workers involved in reconstruction efforts are equally grim. A photo of female workers’ barracks reveals a cramped space with a low ceiling and dirt floor covered by thin mats. The transparent plastic sheeting used for walls and roof offers no protection from the sun.
“Enduring the heat, hunger and hard work was hard enough, but the swarms of mosquitoes really made it a living hell,” the source added. “It’s torture not knowing until when we’ll have to live like this.”
The lack of proper sanitation facilities has led to unsanitary conditions throughout the reconstruction sites. Workers are forced to relieve themselves wherever they can, and the inability to wash their clothes has resulted in a pervasive stench.
The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
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October 07, 2024 at 01:20PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)