200 FEARED KILLED IN NORTH KOREA

More than 200 people are feared to have died when a tunnel caved in at North Korea’s nuclear test site in September.

Tokyo, Oct. 31: More than 200 people are feared to have died when a tunnel caved in at North Korea’s nuclear test site after its latest detonation, a Japanese news report said on Tuesday.

A tunnel collapsed at Punggye-ri in early September, days after North Korea conducted its sixth and largest underground nuclear test on September 3, TV Asahi said, quoting unnamed North Korean sources.

Some 100 workers were involved in an initial collapse. Another cave-in occurred during rescue operations, leaving at least 200 feared dead in total, the broadcaster said.

The accident was triggered by the test, TV Asahi added.

Experts have warned that the underground tests could cause the mountain to collapse and leak radiation into the atmosphere near China’s border.

The latest test — the sixth at the site since 2006 — triggered landslides in the detonation area and beyond, according to satellite pictures taken the day after.

The images published by the 38 North website showed changes in the surface at Punggye-ri where the ground had been lifted into the air by the tremors. Small landslides followed the course of stream beds.

The blast caused a 6.3magnitude earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey, followed a few minutes later by another with a magnitude of 4.1.

Japan assessed the yield from the test of what the North said was a hydrogen bomb at 120 kilotons, eight times the size of Hiroshima in 1945.

It is very unusual for North Korea to acknowledge any major accident, especially anything that involves its nuclear programme. The report came ahead of US President Donald Trump’s first visit to South Korea next week. —

SEVERAL small earthquakes hit the test site following the September 3 missile test.

THERE had been reports that following the quakes the site may not be suitable for more nuclear testing.