PHNOM PENH, October 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 247 people had been killed by the Mekong River and flash floods hitting in Cambodia since early August, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Thursday afternoon.
"The death toll is on the sharp rise and very concerned," the premier said in a statement after the special cabinet meeting on flood disaster. "I would like to appeal to all parents and guardians to take care of kids to avoid drowning during the floods. "
The floods have affected about 1.2 million people.
It also completely destroyed more than 190,000 hectares of rice paddies, or 7.7 percent of the total grown rice paddies, and affected other 390,000 hectares of rice paddies or 16 percent of the total rice paddies.
Some 1,970 kilometers of roads have affected and other 660 kilometers of roads have been damaged.
Meanwhile, the premier said the Council of Ministers decided to cancel the annual Water Festival scheduled on November 9-11 in Phnom Penh in concern of the flood devastation.
Cambodia's Water Festival is the largest annual festival in the Southeast Asian nations, around three million Cambodians, especially those from rural areas converged to Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, to enjoy the regatta.
In the last year's water festival, 353 people had been killed during a stampede at the Diamond Bridge caused by the panic which soon after led to the stampede.
1 comment:
What now Hun Sen?
Still strongman of Asia?
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