A view of the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center shows flooding along the bank of the Kuryong River in Yongbyon, North Korea, on August 6, 2020.
A new report says North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex may have been damaged due to recent flooding in a river near the site.
38 North, a U.S.-based North Korea monitoring website, said on Thursday that "water had reached the two pump houses that service the reactors" at the complex, based on analysis of recent satellite imagery.
The think tank said imagery from August 6 compared to July 22 shows a dramatic rise in the water level of the Kuryong River that flows alongside the Yongbyon complex," adding the flooding appears to the worst in recent years.
The complex is home to a 5-megawatt nuclear reactor that was the source of weapons-grade plutonium for the regime.
But the think tank also noted that imagery from August 8 and 11 show the waters have receded, suggesting little or no damage to key facilities, such as the Uranium Enrichment Plant.
According to South Korea's unification ministry, North Korea has been hit hard by record rainfall this month, causing widespread damage.
<Image: Yonhap News>
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