The Stung Treng provincial Committee for Disaster Management has prepared 120 areas in higher ground to serve as a refuge for citizens after the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology predicted a high risk of floods during this year’s rainy season.

This year’s floods could be comparable to last year’s, or the floods of 1994, provincial administration spokesperson Men Kong said at a press conference on Tuesday at the Council of Ministers.

Kong further said last year’s floods did not cause any deaths but 3,528 people were evacuated to higher ground. Water levels during last year’s floods and that of 1994, he said, reached 12m.

This year, he said the National and provincial committees for disaster management had also prepared materials to be stockpiled at warehouses.

He said flooding in Steung Treng had been especially bad during the 2018-2019 season.

Last year, more than 9,000 families fell victim as they were directly or indirectly affected by the floods, he said.

He said the provincial disaster management committee had laid out two separate plans to prevent fires and droughts.

The provincial hall on Tuesday said because of Steung Treng’s location in the northeast, it is the first province to be affected by floods which occur along the Mekong River in Laos.

Provincial governor Mom Saroeun said all relevant parties had joined the provincial administration in preparing to prevent floods this year.

“We . . . monitor the water situation regularly and other departments have prepared tools and personnel, including rescue and operations experts to safeguard security,” he said.