CHELYABINSK, Russia, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao sent his condolences on Friday to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over serious flooding that has affected more than 300,000 people and caused huge damage to the country.

    In the letter sent to the DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, President Hu, on behalf of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government, extended deeply felt condolences and sincere sympathies to the affected people.

    Hu, currently in Russia to observe a joint anti-terrorism drill by the six member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), expressed his hope that the DPRK people in the affected area, under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government, will overcome the natural disaster and rebuild their homes soon.

    Heavy rains starting from Aug. 4 have stormed the country's capital city Pyongyang and six of its nine provinces, damaging more than 11 percent of farmland, destroying more than 46,580 houses and affecting over 300,000 victims, the KCNA news agency reported.

    The heavy rains also caused huge damage to the communication system and industrial infrastructure, according to the report.

    The DPRK has appealed to the international community to provide emergency aid.