North Korea appears to have received more rainfall this month than the corresponding period of 2007 when the communist nation was hit by some of the worst flooding, the unification ministry said Monday.

"We expect North Korea to be affected by the flood in the entire region and have problems in controlling the water flow," Yoh Sang-key, the ministry's spokesperson, said in a regular press briefing.

When North Korea faced the worst flood damage in 2007, 500 to 700 millimeters of rain fell during seven days, and August's precipitation level is expected to be higher than that, the spokesperson said.

The official also pointed out that around 854 mm of rain poured in Pyonggang County in Gangwon Province from Aug. 1-6, and that amounts to nearly the county's annual precipitation level of 960 mm.

"The average precipitation level in Kaesong in August is 275.7 mm. The level of rainfall it received from Aug. 1 to 6 was 423.9 mm, which is nearly 154 percent of the monthly average," he added.

The North experienced major flooding in July 2007 that killed hundreds, left thousands injured and affected the country's communication network, transportation and power supply.

The flooding forced the North to postpone an inter-Korean summit set for August between then-leader Kim Jong-il and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun to October. (Yonhap)