Cambodian Tatay Hydropower Limited on Wednesday refuted claims by the owner of the 4 Rivers Floating Lodge in Koh Kong that the company’s release of water from the dam had cause 12 lodges to be destroyed.

In a statement, the company said since the beginning of July this year, the coastal areas of Cambodia have been affected by the southwest monsoon climate and low pressure effect.

The seven provinces in Koh Kong and Sihanouk had suffered heavy rains and severe flood disasters. The rainfall in the Preat watershed is the largest since record began.

The 4 Rivers Floating Lodge, located in the downstream of the Preat River, was bound to be affected by the torrential rains, the interval torrents and the flood peaks of several upstream rivers.

The flood peak from the upstream of Tatay Reservoir was intercepted by the Tatay Hydropower Station, while the flood peaks of other upstream rivers directly impact the downstream river.

During heavy rainfall, the Tatay Hydropower Station intercepted flood peaks, effectively stopping it from the upstream of Tatay Reservoir and minimising the losses caused by floods to the downstream rivers, it said.

‘Great sympathy’

It said the 4 Rivers claimed the time of the damage was in the early morning of July 17, which was earlier than the water discharge of the Tatay hydropower station.

The discharge from the Tatay hydropower station, it said was very little, and would not cause any damage to the property, while the discharge flow rate of the Tatay Hydropower Station on the same day was only 461m3/s, which was much lower than the discharge flow rate required to issue warning information.

In summary, it said the 4 Rivers suffered flooding mainly caused by the interval torrents, torrential rains and flood peaks in upstream rivers except the Tatay River.

Second, the 4 Rivers damage time claimed was earlier than the arrival time of the discharge flow of the Tatay Hydropower Station. Third, the Cambodian government issued a severe weather warning every day during heavy rainfall.

Fourth, in this floods disaster, the Tatay Hydropower Station played an effective role in intercepting floods, reducing the losses caused by floods to downstream rivers.

It said Cambodian Tatay Hydropower attaches great importance to social responsibility in Cambodia, and has the greatest sympathy for the affected people during the heavy rainfall process.