Cambodian soldiers evacuate residents from flooding by boat in Stung Treng province on July 26. afp
The authorities will provide health services to those affected by floods in five of the Kingdom’s provinces, National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) spokesman Keo Vy said.
He said provincial authorities had told villagers, especially children, to be cautious about food and drinks, and advised them to drink only clean or boiled water.
“We have standby medics at each health centre to provide first aid, treatment and medicine for diarrhoea. For serious diseases, we have ambulances to transfer them to referral hospitals,” he said.
To prevent the outbreak of an epidemic, the Health Ministry has warned vulnerable people against returning to their houses or staying in dilapidated buildings during flooding.
Villagers have also been told not to stand in the water, touch electric devices with wet hands and to use flashlights when they travel by boat at night.
“To avoid diarrhoea, food poisoning and respiratory infections, people need to drink clean water that is filtered, boiled or contains chlorine. They also need to wash with soap to avoid itchy skin or blisters,” the ministry said.
After flood waters recede, the ministry said, people, need to clean the environment to prevent diseases caused by remaining bacteria.
Tbong Khmum provincial governor Ly Leng said the water level of the river is stable and had not receded. He said medics were on standby to assist.
“We have standby medics in flooded areas. We’ve sent trucks to supply clean water to villagers and our medics are working round-the-clock,” he said.
The governor said he had also sent experts to vaccinate cattle in the villages.
Vy said the provinces of Tbong Khmum, Kampong Cham, Kratie, Stung Treng and Prey Veng are recovering from floods that have affected 43,250 people and caused damages in 27 districts and 141 communes.
Eight people had died and 4,959 families evacuated to safe places. Five of the deceased hailed from Kampong Cham, one from Kratie and two from Stung Treng.
He said 15 houses were damaged due to a riverbank’s collapse, while 142 schools, 80 pagodas and six health centres were submerged. Flood waters have also affected 13,876 hectares of crops and 4,378 hectares of farmland.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology said the Kingdom may face worse flooding than last year, especially in August and September, when more heavy rains are expected.
In Prey Veng province, agriculture department director Uk Samnang said over 2,000 hectares of paddy fields in Baphnom district and more than 6,000 hectares in Pea Raing, Sithor Kandal, Preah Sdach and Peam Ror districts were affected by drought.
