National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) spokesman Soth Kim Kolmony has called on people in flood-prone areas to exercise increased caution after recent drowning deaths.
Two people have recently drowned – one in Battambang province and the other in Preah Vihear province’s Trapeang Prasat district.
“At this time, rain-induced floods can occur at any time, especially in low-lying areas by the waterfront or areas of high precipitation,” he said.
Heavy rains are currently lashing provinces in Thailand and Laos, he added, with the Thais to inform of any release of water from reservoirs into rivers bordering Cambodia.
In such a situation, people living along the border must be extra careful, he said, with the relevant authorities remaining primed to rescue people from any flooding.
On August 22, NCDM first vice-president Kun Kim led a team to inspect the flood situation in the Dangrek Mountains in Preah Vihear province after receiving reports of landslides in the area.
During the inspection, he urged all emergency forces to remain prepared to rescue people from flood-affected areas and repair damaged infrastructure.
Chap Koy, director of the provincial water resources department, told The Post after inspecting water levels and reservoirs in the Dangrek Mountains that there had not been major flooding despite the continued rains.
“At this time, the waters in the border rivers have receded, while the flooding that had inundated some roads a few days ago had also receded. The situation is no longer as serious,” he said.
However, water levels in the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Tonle Bassac rivers had begun to rise again in recent days.
As of August 23, the levels in the Mekong River in Stung Treng province had risen to 9m, with an emergency declaration level of 10.70m, according to the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology.