Kim Yuthana and Joseph Freeman
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Phnom Penh Post
A man watches
as a car attempts to drive through floodwaters at Phsar Kandal market in
Phnom Penh last week, soon after heavy rain inundated a number of areas
of the capital. Photograph: Hong Menea/Phnom Penh Post
In recent weeks, heavy storms have killed 10 people, prompting
government officials to issue weather warnings, and raising the question
of whether Cambodia can respond to floods like the ones that devastated
the country last year.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
said in a statement yesterday the tempestuous weather should continue
until Friday, and that coastal provinces and areas along the Tonle Sap
and Mekong rivers would be especially hard hit.
Extensive
flooding last year affected more than a million people, leaving hundreds
dead and many stranded without aid for weeks due to a lack of
governmental and NGO co-ordination.
But those involved say that
improvements have been made, pointing to more co-operation between
officials and local communities and the drafting of a Disaster
Management Law.
“Based on previous experience, we have conducted all measures for saving the victims,” Uy Samath, of the Cambodian Red Cross, said.
He
said areas of high ground had been singled out and boats, food and
clean water would be available in case an emergency struck.
Broader plans have yet to be finalised.
Hang
Pham, who works on disaster reduction in Southeast Asia for the United
Nations, said there were ongoing discussions on an early warning system
that would alert affected residents about impending floods.
“The whole concept of prevention needs to be promoted more,” she said.
Weeks into the rainy season, the impact is already serious.
Keo Vy, spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management, said that as well as the 10 deaths, storms had injured 60 people, destroyed almost 700 houses and damaged many more.
To contact the reporters on this story: Kim Yuthana at yuthana.kim@phnompenhpost.com
Joseph Freeman at joseph.freeman@phnompenhpost.com
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