North Korea called on officials to finish recovery efforts at a flood-hit eastern province before the founding anniversary of the Workers' Party next month as it held an enlarged meeting of the provincial military commission, state media reported Tuesday.

The South Hamgyong Provincial Military Commission of the Workers' Party met on Sunday to inspect the progress of recovery efforts and discussed measures to "ensure the high quality and speed of construction," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, said.

The commission called on officials to finish the recovery work by the Oct. 10 founding anniversary of the party while strictly following construction regulations in rebuilding houses, bridges and roads.

Earlier this week, the paper also criticized officials in the flood-hit Hamgyong Province for carrying out flood prevention projects along rivers and streams in an irresponsible manner.

State media earlier reported about 1,170 homes were destroyed or flooded, and some 5,000 residents were evacuated due to heavy rainfall in South Hamgyong Province. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered full support for recovery efforts in the province.

The North's eastern provinces were also hit hard by typhoons and flooding last year, further aggravating the country's serious food shortage. (Yonhap)