21.  Even before the floods North Korea was suffering from serious food shortages.

22.  Fighting and blockage of food shipments that have left the area with serious food shortages continued.

23.  He said the expected failure of the winter crops would result in serious food shortage.

24.  Hit hard by massive floods for two straight years, North Korea faces a serious food shortage.

25.  In addition to North Korea, Japan will provide surplus rice to Nepal and Laos, which are also faced with serious food shortages, government officials said Tuesday.

26.  Kapulov told the agency Wednesday that the talks broke down over the opening of roads, particularly to central Afghanistan where thousands of people are facing serious food shortages.

27.  Leaders of the minority Shiite Muslim community that controls central Afghanistan say people there already are facing serious food shortages.

28.  No serious food shortages have been reported, but the government wants to ensure that plenty is on hand.

29.  North Korea faces serious food shortages after severe flooding in the past two summers devastated much of its farmland.

30.  North Korea, in the midst of a serious food shortage, on Friday urged its people to ensure a big harvest this autumn.