By Lor Chandara
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Flash flooding caused by days of heavy rain in mountainous areas on the coast and in the country's northeast has submerged thousands of hectares of paddy fields, though it is too early to assess the damage, government officials said Wednesday.
Minister of Agriculture Chan Sarun said that 20,000 hectares of paddy were inundated by floodwaters in five districts in Kampot province, while nearby Kep municipality saw 900 hectares hit by flooding. In Ratanakkiri province, reports of flooding were also emerging from Kon Mom district, though details were still sketchy, he said.
"There were flash floods in these provinces but the flooded paddy fields cannot be assumed damaged as we have not made assessments," Chan Sarun said.
"The floodwaters are receding," he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture has 3,000 tons of rice in storage to distribute to farmers if their crops have been damaged, Chan Sarun added.
Prime Minister Hun Sen also paid a flying visit to the flood-hit areas of Kampot and Kompong Speu provinces on Wednesday.
Arriving by helicopter to inspect flood damage in Kampot, Hun Sen, never afraid of taking a dip in flood-water, waded through flooded streets in the provincial capital and talked to locals.
Speaking to state-run TVK, which captured his trip to Kampot on video, Hun Sen said that he would ask Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology Lim Kean Hor to study the possibility of building a canal to divert, floodwater into the sea.
Despite the heavy rainfall, the level of the Mekong River remains normal for this time of year, Chan Sarun said.
Minister of Agriculture Chan Sarun said that 20,000 hectares of paddy were inundated by floodwaters in five districts in Kampot province, while nearby Kep municipality saw 900 hectares hit by flooding. In Ratanakkiri province, reports of flooding were also emerging from Kon Mom district, though details were still sketchy, he said.
"There were flash floods in these provinces but the flooded paddy fields cannot be assumed damaged as we have not made assessments," Chan Sarun said.
"The floodwaters are receding," he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture has 3,000 tons of rice in storage to distribute to farmers if their crops have been damaged, Chan Sarun added.
Prime Minister Hun Sen also paid a flying visit to the flood-hit areas of Kampot and Kompong Speu provinces on Wednesday.
Arriving by helicopter to inspect flood damage in Kampot, Hun Sen, never afraid of taking a dip in flood-water, waded through flooded streets in the provincial capital and talked to locals.
Speaking to state-run TVK, which captured his trip to Kampot on video, Hun Sen said that he would ask Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology Lim Kean Hor to study the possibility of building a canal to divert, floodwater into the sea.
Despite the heavy rainfall, the level of the Mekong River remains normal for this time of year, Chan Sarun said.
2 comments:
I just hope it is not man made flood by one of those Vietcong dam!
There had been reports in the past that the Vietcong intentionally flood Cambodia with ton and ton of water from Yali Fall dam!
If there is a pattern of Vietcong made flood onto Cambodia again, it is time that Cambodian government must invest in jet fighters to destroy those Vietcong dam! Cambodia has the right not to take any bullshit from any Vietcong!
^I doubt the Vietnamese caused the flood. The river has been really high for a few weeks now, because it really has been storming up north (China, etc).
Last month it rained hard for about two hours and the water in P.P. was three feet high in some places. I'm willing to bet that if that could happen then, it could have happened again. That's the idea behind "rainy season". It rains!
Just stating the obvious.
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