North Korea on flood alert as heavy rain kills 16 in South

The display of South Korea's capital Seoul logo is partially submerged due to heavy rain at a park near the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. - AP

SEOUL (AFP): Days of heavy rain could cause flooding or landslides across North Korea, officials warned, as the South said Thursday (Aug 6) that 16 people had died in the downpours lashing the peninsula.

North Korea is particularly vulnerable to sustained heavy rain as many mountains and hills have long been stripped of vegetation, allowing water to flow downhill unchecked.