Long after bombing ends, environmental consequences of battle linger in war-torn areas, threatening the landscape and the health of the people who live there.

Immediately after an attack, residents must search for safe drinking water, food, shelter and air, experts say.

But long after the soldiers have gone the evidence remains. Left behind are unexploded weapons, polluted rivers, contaminated soil and landscapes so damaged that crops will not grow.

One way to understand the long-term environmental effects of war Afghanistan may suffer is to look at war-torn countries such as North and South Korea, which share similar landscape characteristics with Afghanistan.

Elwynn Taylor, professor of agronomy, said he has been to all three countries.

“War damages fragile soils and destroys vegetation, especially in mountainous areas,” he said.

The aftermath of war is still evident in North Korea, Taylor said.

“It’s blatant. You can see it when you go there,” he said. “The hills are still pretty much without vegetation. The country hasn’t been able to recover naturally. This leaves valleys susceptible to flash floods and lack of slow-flowing streams needed for rice production. The people are starving.”

In contrast, Taylor said, “South Korea is totally revegetated with appropriate trees and grasses that should have been growing there.”

Steffen Schmidt, university professor of political science, said this is because South Korea had the money to replant.

“I am certain that the U.S. government helped its ally, South Korea, through all the usual aid channels,” he said.

Taylor said financial aid and expertise are necessary to restore worn-torn areas. Trees and vegetation must be replanted.

The United States already has given aid to Afghanistan for the redevelopment of areas ripped up by the attacks.

On Dec. 9, the U.S. Agency for International Development approved a $3.6 million grant to CARE, an international relief and development organization, for water, sanitation, agricultural rehabilitation and shelter activities in Afghanistan, according to the agency’s Web site, http://www.usaid.gov .