Residents of the capital and 15 provinces have been warned to remain on high alert for moderate to severe thunderstorms, strong gusty winds and flash floods from October 6-12 that could materialise around a potential tropical storm.

Early this month, a low-pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) rapidly intensified, prompting the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) to classify the system as Tropical Depression Lannie.

US-based AccuWeather Inc forecasts that as the system moves northwest away from the Philippines, “it is likely to strengthen over the South China Sea and will likely become a tropical storm or even a typhoon”.

As a result, Cambodia from October 6-12 will be lashed with moderate to severe thunderstorms, accompanied by southwest monsoon winds triggered by the tropical depression and influenced by a ridge of low pressure currently over the Pacific Ocean as well as seasonal movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology warned in a statement on October 5.

Phnom Penh and the provinces of Kandal, Svay Rieng, Prey Veng, Kampong Speu, Takeo, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Kampong Thom and Siem Reap will remain mostly cloudy with moderate to heavy thunderstorms over the period, the ministry said.

The provinces of Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Kampong Cham, Tbong Khmum, Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk could also see flash floods in some areas, with moderate to strong winds from October 10-12, it said, adding that the coastline could be intermittently inundated by medium to high tides.