People living in lowland areas bordering the Tonle Sap Lake, along the Mekong River, and northeastern provinces should register with the government’s early warning system, first vice-president of National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) Kun Kim said.
The 1294 hotline will provide information on potentially hazardous weather, flooding and other natural disasters.
“Registering with this system is important as it will provide people with information on potential disasters that could happen in an area. The system can also alert emergency services to intervene,” he said on July 21.
According to the report from the NCDM, there were 22 occurrences of strong winds in the first 20 days of July in 14 provinces. The winds damaged 1341 houses and injured three people.
In the same period, four people were killed and one injured by lightning strikes. A flood also affected 50 families in Phnom Preok district in Battambang province, damaging rice fields and roads.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has provided material to ten search and rescue teams to be used during operations caused by natural disasters.
Meanwhile, a rainstorm on July 19 damaged more than 50 houses in Kampong Speu and Kandal provinces and knocked down 23 power posts in Por Sen Chey district, Phnom Penh. There were no injuries, local authorities said.
Kampong Speu provincial governor Vei Samnang told The Post on July 20 that 48 houses in Kong Pisei and Baset districts were damaged after a rainstorm struck on the afternoon of July 19. Fifteen houses in Kong Pisei district were flattened and the roofs of 33 houses in Baset district were blown away.
“But no one suffered any injuries,” he said.
Samnang added that on July 21, officials from the provincial Red Cross and other agencies will deliver first aid to victims.
Kandal province Koh Thom district police chief Sim Kheang told The Post that the rainstorm on July 19 had damaged eight houses. Roofs of five houses were blown off and the stilts of three properties collapsed, but no one was injured.
“On the afternoon of July 20, a rainstorm knocked down trees in the streets of some villages, but no houses were affected,” he said.
In the capital’s Por Sen Chey district, Samraong Kraom commune police chief Tol Sokun said 23 power posts in his commune collapsed due to the rainstorm on July 19, which caused electricity in some areas of the district to be temporarily cut off.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology announced on July 20 that areas in the central plains, Dangrek Mountain range and the northeastern plateau will see heavy rains and strong winds from July 23-27. The weather was caused by the combination of the southwestern monsoon, a low pressure system, and typhoon Cempaka.
The ministry also issued a warning that flooding could occur in coastal provinces and forecasted that these areas will have heavy rains and strong winds. This could cause a storm surge with waves from 1.5m to 2m. People are advised not to venture onto the sea.
