Flash floods hit Cambodia's NW province, affecting about 3,000 families

Xinhua | 19 Sep 2012

By Agencies 

About 3,000 families in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province bordering with Thailand have been suffering from floodwaters and local authorities have been advised to be on high alert to respond to the disaster, a senior government official said Wednesday.

"About 700 families who are severely affected by the flooding have been evacuated to higher ground," the first Vice-President of the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), Nhim Vanda told Xinhua over telephone.

"They are all safe, there is no report of death so far," he said. "Local authorities and Cambodian Red Cross volunteers are on high alert to rescue people in case of more flooding."

Vanda said that the flooding has been caused by torrential rains in recent weeks both in Cambodia and in Thailand.

The flash floods have also affected some 500 hectares of rice paddy and 1,200 hectares of cassava crops in the province.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology on Monday warned of heavy rains throughout this week and said some 13 provinces out of the country's 24 cities and provinces could suffer from flash floods.

Possible flood-hit provinces are Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Pursat, Kampong Chhnang, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Kampong Speu, Takeo, Kandal, Prey Veng and Kampot.

Floods usually hit Cambodia between August and October. Last year, the floods killed at least 250 Cambodian people and affected some 1.4 million people in the country, according to the NCDM.

Moreover, nearly 3,000 km of gravel roads and some 180 km of national roads had been damaged.

The last year's floods cost the country about $521 million.