North Korea's state-run radio called Wednesday for greater efforts to minimize damage from flooding and heavy rains as the country braces for the summer monsoon season that wrought havoc on major farming areas last year.

"All sectors in all areas must come up with preemptive measures to cope with the upcoming rainy season to prevent even the slightest damage," the state-run Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) said.

This year's monsoon season is expected to start affecting North Korea next week, it added.

KCBS also said it is likely to start raining in South Hwanghae Province and neighboring regions around Sunday due to the low pressure in the Yangtze River.

North Korea was hard hit by back-to-back typhoons and flooding last summer, which presumably devastated major farming areas of the country already reeling from difficulties in securing outside help and other farming materials due to virus-prompted border closures.

Monsoons usually begin early in the summer season, causing havoc in farming areas as they mostly bring torrential downpours. (Yonhap)