朝鲜面临百年来最严重的旱灾

North Korea is suffering through its most severe drought in a century, according to a state media outlet, worsening an already serious food shortage in the impoverished country.

"The worst drought in 100 years continues in the DPRK, causing great damage," said the Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday.

KCNA said paddies have dried up in several key rice-growing provinces, including Hwanghae and Pyongan, because of almost a total lack of rainfall.

North Korea experienced a devastating famine in the early 1990s, leaving hundreds of thousands dead.

It has since has suffered regular chronic food shortages, with the situation exacerbated by floods, droughts and mismanagement.

The United Nations says 70 percent of the population, or 18 million North Koreans, are food insecure and lack nutritional diversity. Malnutrition rates are high, with 27.9 percent of children under five suffering from chronic malnutrition.

朝中社星期二说，这次百年来最严重的旱灾正在造成巨大损失。朝中社还说，由于几乎没有降雨，几个主要的产稻省份（包括黄海道和平安道）的稻田都已干裂。

朝鲜曾在上世纪90年代发生一次严重饥荒，导致数十万人死亡。此后，朝鲜经常处于粮食短缺状态，洪水、干旱和管理不当使问题变得更加严重。

联合国说，朝鲜人口的70%，也就是1800万人面临粮食短缺和缺少营养多样性问题。在五岁以下的朝鲜儿童中，27.9的人长期营养不良。