Thursday 3 October 2013

Cambodian flood death toll rises to 39


Floods from Mekong River and heavy rainfall have claimed at least 39 lives and affected 100,334 families in Cambodia in less than three weeks, the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) said Thursday.

About 10,000 families have been forced to flee their houses for higher grounds as some 89,200 houses, 533 schools and 291 Buddhist pagodas have been submerged, a NCDM's report said.

In addition, approximately 100,000 hectares of rice seedlings are also inundated, the report said.

Thirteen out of the kingdom's 24 cities and provinces are being hit by the Mekong River and flash floods, it added.

Disaster control officials could not be reached for comments on Thursday.

Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the authorities last Friday to closely monitor flood situation and prepare to evacuate affected people to safe grounds.

The country has suffered from the impact of low pressure system and tropical storm Wutip that had caused heavy rainfall in the Mekong River basin and in Cambodia.

"The government would like to advise concerned ministries and authorities to be on high alert and prepare rescue measures to evacuate people to safe grounds so that fatalities and property damage by floods will be reduced," he said in a directive.

Floods usually hit Cambodia between August and October. In 2011, the country was hit the worst from floods, killing up to 250 people, according to the NCDM.

Last year, floods killed only 14 people.

Thursday 3 October 2013

http://www.china.org.cn/environment/2013-10/03/content_30195350.htm

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