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| A girl squats on her tyre raft in the floodwaters in Phnom Penh October 26, 2011. REUTERS/Samrang Pring |
Source: alertnet // Thin Lei Win
BANGKOK (AlertNet) – Severe floods in impoverished Cambodia have killed 247 people, disrupted the lives of 1.6 million - more than one in 10 people - and affected three-quarters of the country, a United Nations’ report says.
Flooding along the Mekong and other key rivers over the past two months has raised fears of food shortages and increased personal debt after more than 10 percent of the rice crop was destroyed.
This has left thousands of families without an income in a country of 14.7 million where close to 80 percent live in rural areas and 71 percent depend on agriculture (largely rice) and livestock for their livelihood.
“The most immediate humanitarian needs are food, water, sanitation, hygiene and related items and some shelter,” Manish Mehta, Oxfam’s humanitarian programme manager in Cambodia told AlertNet.
Health and nutrition are also a concern, Mehta added, with long-standing floodwaters and congested evacuation centres increasing cases of diarrhoea, skin diseases and upper respiratory diseases.
“In one of the communes where Oxfam is working, one-third of the evacuated people started to complain about diarrhoea and skin disease,” he said.
As flood waters start to recede, it is becoming easier to provide aid and conduct detailed assessments, but this could mean agencies discover more people have been affected than thought.
Already the United Nations said the damages are expected to be more severe than previously estimated.
Aid is coming through although donor interest is still low, Mehta said.
The Asian Development Bank announced $3 million emergency humanitarian assistance on Thursday, the United Nations is mobilising $4 million and a chunk from the European Union’s €10 million flood aid to the region will go to Cambodia.
The U.N. food agency WFP also said on Friday it is more than doubling its response from helping 60,000 of the worst affected people to 150,000.
FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS CONCERNS
“The livelihood options have ceased due to wide scale flooding ... hence farm-based, landless labourers are the most vulnerable,” Mehta said.
While it is still difficult to estimate exactly how long people will need support, Mehta said it would take at least a year for the affected population to recover their livelihoods.
“In the coming year until next harvest, the food security condition for poor Cambodians will remain grim,” he added.
Gavin Tritt of Asia Foundation, which works on governance, law and rights, agreed the floods had had a devastating impact on Cambodia’s most vulnerable communities.
Rural households dependent on agriculture already struggle to get enough food even in the best of times, added Tritt, the foundation’s country representative.
“For these farmers who depend on their annual crop, a year’s supply of rice (for consumption and income generation) has been lost,” he told AlertNet.
“This is likely to lead to increased indebtedness, and certainly increased food insecurity.”
According to U.N. figures, almost a third of Cambodia’s rural population is undernourished.
1 comment:
Ah coward Decho Hun Sen, Mr Sam Rainsy asks you to sue him at France court about you murdered Khmer people. Why don't you dare to do it as you have done at Cambodia court?
Being a strong man as well as Prime Minister of one country, you should not be coward to face the real justice at France court or International court. Unless, you are the real murderer in Cambodia that is the reason why you fear of Mr Sam Rainsy at real and fair justice court.
Decho Hun Sen rubbed Cambodian people well being, health care, dignity and sell Cambodia out to Vietnam in cheap price as long as he can stay in power. Isn't true Samdach Decho Hun Sen?
How many Cambodian people lives have you killed in your life so far? Can you being honest telling the true?
As one Prime Minister of one country his job is bully his own people from talking about Paris Peace agreement 1991 and Vietnam take Cambodia area. Why?
Samdach Decho Hun Sen Why does you so scare of the truth? Why do you so scare of Mr Sam Rainsy when he asks you to sue him at France court? You are strong man as you claim in TV screen.
Samdach Decho Hun Sen shouldn't scare of Mr Sam Rainsy because Mr Sam Rainsy has no weapon mass destruction as you do. You are the murderer; you must be strong in facing with Mr Sam Rainsy at France court as Mr Sam Rainsy invited you to do so.
Samdach Decho billion dollars Hun Sen, PLease face Mr Sam Rainsy as Mr Sam Rainsy invited you through the world media. You used to win on Mr Sam Rainsy many times in Cambodia court of justice. There is no reason why you should be worry about...if you have never killed anyone in Cambodia. Isn’t it Decho Sen?
Cambodian people hope to see Samdach Decho Hun Sen will has gut as a leader or a man to sue Mr Sam Rainsy at France court as Mr Sam Rainsy invited Samdach decho many times through Radio and world media.
Be a man Decho Sen! One in your life be a man Decho Sen! Be a man to face Mr Sam Rainsy at France court and international court.
We are personal bodyguards of Samdach Decho would like to see Decho Hun Sen be a man with Mr Sam Rainsy at France Court. Otherwise, Samdach Decho is not worthy to protect because why do we have to die for protecting a traitor, a murderer, a blood sucker. Isn’t it true Samdach Decho Hun Sen? Do you agree with that?
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