More than 15,000 Homes Hit by Floods
Heavy rain across the country has put more than 15,000 houses in seven provinces at risk of flooding. Photo: Kampong Thom Administration
- By Chhum Chantha
- October 5, 2023 11:50 AM
PHNOM PENH – Heavy rain across the country has put more than 15,000 houses in seven provinces at risk of flooding, while 26,000 hectares of rice and crops have been inundated.
Soth Kimkol Mony, spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said floods had threatened many provinces since Sept. 12. Pursat, Battambang, Preah Vihear, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey and Kandal provinces were hit by severe floods.
“If Cambodia continued to have more rain, more provinces would be affected, especially in the northwest,” Mony said.
However, the impact of floods was less severe than in 2022. NCDM was monitoring the rainfall continuously, analyzing the impact and responding accordingly, Mony said.
As of Oct. 3, floods affected 9,196 families, 8,108 houses, 7,199 hectares of paddy fields, and 2,440 hectares of mixed crops in Pursat province. Meanwhile, 6,117 families, 3,034 hectares of paddy fields, and 1,732 hectares of mixed crops were affected.
Flash floods affected 5,450 families, 3,336 houses and 7,244 hectares of paddy fields in Siem Reap province.
In Kampong Thom province, 7,000 families, 3,725 houses and 3,756 hectares of paddy fields were affected and 213 families were evacuated due to severe flooding.
In Kandal province 518 families, 222 houses and 73 hectares of paddy fields were affected.
Northern Preah Vihear province reported that 406 families and 174 hectares of paddy fields were affected. Banteay Meanchey province was hit less hard with 52 families and 174 hectares of paddy fields hit.
“Due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) extending over the Dangrek Mountains and the Northeastern Plateau with weak southwest monsoon winds, Cambodia will continue to have rain for two days from light to moderate level, covering 40 to 60 percent of Cambodia,” the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology reported on Oct. 4.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this article was translated by Rin Ousa for Cambodianess.
