North Korea utilized military helicopters to evacuate thousands of individuals trapped in a flood-affected area, according to state media on Monday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) stated that leader Kim Jong Un supervised a military rescue operation last week, which involved 10 helicopters and navy lifeboats, and personally thanked the pilots individually. Kim criticized officials for their inadequate preparations and response to the heavy rains, despite earlier directives to strengthen disaster prevention measures. Recently, North Korea held a crisis management meeting to strategize on reducing the agricultural impact of natural disasters. The country has faced extreme rainfall, with Kaesong City recording an extraordinary 463 mm (18.2 inches) in one day in July, the highest in 29 years according to South Korea's meteorological agency. Due to its fragile infrastructure and extensive deforestation, North Korea is particularly susceptible to the effects of natural disasters. The country has taken steps to mitigate flooding, such as releasing water from a dam near the inter-Korean border, which raised concerns in South Korea. In early July, South Korea's environment ministry noted that North Korea likely discharged water from the Hwanggang Dam without prior notice, a move not seen in recent years. Relations between North and South Korea are currently at a low point, with Pyongyang severing all official communications with Seoul in 2020 and destroying an inter-Korean liaison office. North Korea has also ceased responding to inter-Korean hotline calls since April 2023.