97 people killed by floods in Cambodia

2011-09-26
Xinhua

PHNOM PENH - Floods hit Cambodia since last month has killed at least 97 people, a government official said on Monday.

Phay Siphan, spokesman of the council of ministers, said at least 97 people, including a British national, have died.

Cambodia's Council of Ministers on Monday held a special meeting to take measures to deal with the Mekong River and flash floods inundating most parts of the country.

The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Speaking after the four-hour meeting, the government's spokesman and information minister Khieu Kanharith said the meeting was to deal with the facing issues of floods and post- flood rehabilitation.

"For the facing issues, the cabinet decided not to let any person die of hunger during the floods--the cabinet decided to allocate 200 million riels ($50,000) and rice to ten worst affected provinces to help the victims," he said.

The cabinet also instructed all provincial governors not leave their provinces on overseas trips or trips to Phnom Penh during the flooding period and advised them to closely cooperation with the Cambodian Red Cross to help the victims, he added.

Kanharith said that the cabinet also advised all local authorities to help re-grow rice and other crops at the flood-damaged areas and prepared budget to rehabilitate damaged roads after the flood.

To date, 90,300 families in 15 flood-hit provinces have been affected, about 170,000 hectares of rice fields have been submerged and more than 300 schools were closed, according to Keo Vy, communication officer of National Committee for Disaster Management.

"As of Monday, the Mekong River flood has been receding, but very slow, and we're still keeping close watch on the situation, " he said.