Two feared dead after flash flood in Cambodia

Two feared dead after flash flood in Cambodia
Flash floods ripped apart a bridge in Battambang province, where two people are feared to have died after being swept away on Monday morning. CAMBOPOST
Flash floods ripped apart a bridge in Battambang province, where two people are feared to have died after being swept away on Monday morning. CAMBOPOST
Published 18 September 2019
Khouth Sophak Chakrya

Two villagers from Ta Tork commune in Battambang province’s Samlot district are feared dead after they went missing on Monday morning when flash floods rushing down the mountains caused land erosion and inundated their village.

The floods also left a third villager severely injured, swept away four houses, and ravaged four bridges and 10ha of crops.

Samlot district governor Sao Samet identified the pair as Chhang Kol, 25, and Than Vy, 20, from Ta Tork commune’s O’Treng village.

He said on Tuesday the floodwaters had now subsided.

“We’re still searching for the two villagers along the rivers and canals near the Samkok Mountains,” he said.

Samlot district deputy police chief Men Rimthavuth said the flash floods and land erosion were caused by heavy rains from Sunday night until Monday just before noon.

The floods, he said, had submerged 129 houses in five communes along the Kra Nhoung and other rivers near the Samkok Mountains.

Four of the 129 houses were swept away, while two 95m suspension bridges and two wooden bridges, each measuring 35m in length and 4.3m in width, were destroyed.

Rimthavuth said a 23-year-old villager, Trim Kosal, sustained serious injuries to his arms and head after being hit by mud and flash floods rushing down the mountain. He was sent to Battambang Referral Hospital for intensive care.

“We have never experienced anything like this,” Rimthavuth said of the flash floods.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology on Tuesday warned people living along the Pursat River spanning several provinces to take extra caution as rains continued to fall on the upper areas of the Cardamom Mountains.

“Since medium to heavy rains are falling everyday and causing floodwaters from the fifth dam to inundate our mechanical command centre, the ministry appeals to all relevant authorities and people living along the Pursat River and lowland areas to take extra caution,” the ministry said.

National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) spokesman Keo Vy told The Post on Tuesday that in Kampong Thom province, floods caused by heavy rains and rising water levels in the Stung Sen River had killed at least two people, inundated 1,036 houses and damaged 1,473ha of paddy fields.

Vy said while the Mekong River floodwaters had subsided, land erosion and flash floods flowing from the mountains and the Tonle Sap tributary have inundated provinces situated in lowland areas along the lake.

“As of Tuesday, floods have claimed 13 lives and destroyed over 13,000ha of the 35,000ha paddy fields that have been submerged since early this month,” he said.

He said damage was also sustained due to floods in Battambang province’s Samlot district.