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About 7.1 billion won (US$7.5 million) worth of emergency relief aid will be shipped across the heavily-fortified inter-Korean border to North Korea late this week to help the communist nation recover from recent flood damage, Seoul's point man on North Korea said Sunday.

"We offered to swiftly send relief supplies via land routes considering the seriousness of the North's flood damage and its urgent need for outside help, and Pyongyang accepted our offer," Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung told reporters.

The supplies will be shipped Thursday through Saturday by 200 trucks through the North's border town of Kaesong, ministry officials said.

"The government will start shipping the relief supplies after it reports its plan to the National Assembly early this week," Lee said.

Seoul decided to send emergency aid to the impoverished North last Friday after international relief agencies operating in the reclusive nation reported extensive flood damage.

The North's state media said Friday that about 46,580 homes of 88,400 families had been flooded or destroyed, while more than 300,000 people were displaced. North Korean officials also told international aid agencies that over 220 people were dead or missing and 11 percent of the grain harvest -- equivalent to 450,000 tons -- was lost. About 400 commercial plants were flooded and landslides severed railways in 43 places while some 300 mine shafts had collapsed, they said.

The relief goods will include instant noodles, bottled water, powdered milk, blankets and medicine, according to ministry officials. The government also plans to send additional aid to the North once Pyongyang sends a list of items it needs.

An association of pro-unification civic organizations here has announced a plan to send some 15 billion won worth of relief supplies to the North.

"The government itself is considering providing an additional 3 billion won to the North through the pro-unification association," Lee said. SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Yonhap News)