North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a western coastal area hit by Typhoon Bavi — which made landfall near Pyongyang on Thursday — and said the country was “fortunate” to have suffered only limited damage, state media reported Friday.

The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper published images of the despot, who was not wearing a mask, examining rice paddies and corn and bean crops in South Hwanghae province.

North Korea — which also has also been stepping up efforts to combat the coronavirus — had referred to Typhoon Bavi as the No. 8 storm, according to Reuters.

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“He said that the scale of damage from Typhoon No. 8 is smaller than expected, adding that he had worried a lot and he feels it is fortunate to have that amount of damage,” the Korean Central News Agency reported, referring to Kim’s remarks.

The strongman, thought to be in a coma, praised ruling party organizations and government officials for implementing measures that limited damage from the typhoon, according to KCNA.

He called for additional efforts toward “minimizing the damage in the agricultural field in particular and reduction in the harvest by making a correct examination of the crop damage and taking measures for improving their growth,” KCNA reported.

Trees were uprooted in the capital, including along Mirae Scientists’ Street, one of the strongman’s showpiece developments. State media also published images showed a damaged building in Sariwon, to the south.

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