Flooding Report: Flood in Cambodia

Flood destroy rice field along the road from Seam Reap

Rising global temperatures could greatly exacerbate flooding in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, as well as parts of Africa and South America, a new study by the University of Tokyo has found.

The study, produced by the university’s Institute of Engineering and published in the British science journal Nature Climate Change yesterday, warns that the world’s 29 major rivers, including the Mekong, face escalating risks of mass flooding if climate change continues apace.

Employing 11 different climate models, researchers found that with a mere rise of 3.5 degrees by the end of the century, 42 per cent of the earth’s land surface would face an increased risk of flooding, affecting 100 million people.

From mid Sept to October 04, 2013, Floods from Mekong River and heavy rainfall have claimed at least 39 lives and affected 100,334 families in Cambodia in less than three weeks, in 09 Provinces in Cambodia are flooding; Prah Vihear, Banteaymeanchey, Stungtreng, Kratie, Kampong Cham, Kandal, Odormeanchey, Prey Veng, Ratanakiri. the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) said Thursday.

About 10,000 families have been forced to flee their houses for higher grounds as some 89,200 houses, 533 schools and 291 Buddhist pagodas have been submerged, a NCDM's report said.

In addition, approximately 100,000 hectares of rice seedlings are also inundated, the report said.Thirteen out of the kingdom's 24 cities and provinces are being hit by the Mekong River and flash floods, it added.

The country has suffered from the impact of low pressure system and tropical storm Wutip that had caused heavy rainfall in the Mekong River basin and in Cambodia.

"The government would like to advise concerned ministries and authorities to be on high alert and prepare rescue measures to evacuate people to safe grounds so that fatalities and property damage by floods will be reduced," he said in a directive.

Floods usually hit Cambodia between August and October. In 2011, the country was hit the worst from floods, killing up to 250 people, according to the NCDM.

Last year, floods killed only 14 people.