Three people have died, six remain missing and more than 100 homes have been affected by heavy rains that began on Wednesday in Kampong Chhnang and Kandal provinces, local authorities said yesterday.

Prak Sophorn, director of the Kampong Chnnang provincial Cambodian Red Cross office, said yesterday that at least 64 houses in Kampong Leng district have been badly damaged or completely destroyed.

“As of Thursday afternoon there is a black cloud and it’s still raining in Kampong Chhnang. Six people remain missing,” Sophorn said.

Sophorn highlighted Boribor, Rolea Ba’ier and Kampong Leng districts as having borne the brunt of the most recent downpours.

Chhuk Pok, 68, of Rolea Ba’ier’s Svay Chrum commune, fell ill and died after the roofing of his home blew away amid heavy rains, Sophorn said.

Two others, whose names have yet to be confirmed, from Kampong Leng’s Svay Rompear commune, drowned while fishing on a river in Samrong Sen Commune after their boat sank, according to reports from local authorities.

Soeng Sovong, a radio communications officer for district police in Rolea Ba’ier district, said a total of 27 boats were lost or sunk along with 150 ducks and chickens.

Sovong also told the Post that the roof of a police station in Kampong Chhnang town was seriously damaged by a fallen tree.

In Kandal’s Koh Thom district, 36 houses were destroyed in the storm, said Man Seng, the district police chief. He confirmed that 11 homes collapsed and 23 others lost their roofs.

“Now, police have given some tarpaulins to the victims so that they can use them as temporary roofs,” Seng said.

On Friday last week, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology released an announcement appealing to local authorities, especially fishermen, to prepare for an impending storm arriving from the South China Sea.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AMELIA WOODSIDE