North Korea has promised "severe" punishment in the wake of the storm

The North Korean government has vowed to punish officials who failed to protect residents from Typhoon Maysak, which is wreaking havoc in parts of the country, according to state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun.

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The storm caused heavy rains in North Korea earlier this week, with official footage flooding roads in the eastern town of Wonsan in Kangwon Province.

Rodong Sinmun reported on Saturday that the country's top officials were "irresponsible" against city and provincial officials "because of a serious incident involving dozens of deaths."

"Dozens of deaths were caused by red tape and tricks between city and provincial officials," the newspaper said.

The statement added that despite orders from the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, led by leader Kim Jong UN, the official "plans to immediately identify well-endangered properties and evacuate all residents." Failed to manage. "

"It has been decided to impose strict, administrative and legal punishment on those responsible for the killings."

But Seoul-based bodyguard researcher Ahn Chan il told AFP that punishing local officials was "a way to avoid blaming the North Korean leadership" for the killings.

"They are sending the message that Kim Jong UN never does anything wrong, but the harm is only because those who work for him fail to obey his orders."

Another storm hitting the peninsula

On Wednesday, state television showed live footage of the storm surge and torrential rains, including a damaged bridge and floodwaters and buildings affected by the flooding.

The country's breadbasket is reported’ to have destroyed farms in their central county.

Concerns are being raised’ about further crop losses and food supplies as the isolated country deviates from another potentially more powerful typhoon, Haishen, which is on its way to hit the peninsula's east coast on Monday.

Typhoon Maysak killed at least two people in South Korea, while more than 2,200 people were evacuated’ to temporary shelters in the southern city of Busan.

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