Water levels of several streams and rivers along the Cambodian-Thai border in Banteay Meanchey province have risen and flooded some roads and houses in Poipet town and parts of Malai and Mongkol Borei districts.
Lay Puthy, deputy director of the provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology, told The Post that after heavy rains in recent days, the border streams in Poipet and Malai were spilling their banks and flooding many homes in low-lying and even urban areas.
“There was more than 100mm of rain on August 15, which caused flooding in downtown Poipet,” he said.
Local authorities were working with water resource department specialists to monitor the situation and were preparing to assist those who needed it.
Nhim Phoeung, chief of administration at Poipet town hall, told The Post that heavy rains and overflowing rivers and streams had caused flooding in some urban areas of Poipet and O’Chrou communes, and affected road infrastructure and rice fields, too.
“Some houses along the border are flooded, but not so seriously that we need to evacuate the inhabitants. The urban areas and roads are not a serious concern yet either,” he said.
Panh Khem Bunthorn, deputy director of Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cabinet for the Boeung Chungruk Development Zone, confirmed to The Post that the border streams in Malai district were overflowing roads and causing flooding to some houses next to the streams.
“At this time, our forces are monitoring developments and are ready to intervene to help members of the public should the situation worsen,” he said.
According to a forecast by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Cambodia will continue to be affected by the low-pressure valleys that are dragging through northern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, coupled with an active low pressure occurring in the upper gulf of the South China Sea. Along with the southwest monsoon, these circumstances will bring moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the week, covering almost all parts of the country.
Preah Vihear provincial authorities have appealed to people living along the Stung Sen River and other parts of the lower areas near the Dangrek Mountains and the Mekong River to increase their vigilance against floods as the water level of Stung Sen has risen closer to the alert level.
Governor Kim Rithy called on the authorities and all armed forces under the provincial administration to prepare to effect emergency civil defence operations in the event of serious flooding.
However, water levels of the Stung Sen River had fallen in the province with waters receding 0.18m from August 15 to August 16.
Chap Koy, director of the Provincial water resources department, told The Post that the river was not flooding, as it was receding.
“Because water levels in Preah Vihear have fallen, the provinces downstream, especially Kampong Thom, should increase their vigilance,” he said.
When the water levels in the upper stretch of the Stung Sen decreases, the water levels downstream tend to increase, he warned.
He Koeun, director of the Kampong Thom provincial water resources department, told The Post that water levels in Stung Sen had increased to 13.56m on August 16, surpassing the alert level of 13.50m.
“Although we have passed the alert level, we have not yet had to evacuate any residents,” he said.
