PHNOM PENH, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Flooding has affected 25,561 families across Cambodia, forcing 2,908 families to evacuate to higher ground, a disaster control spokesperson said on Saturday.
Soth Kim Kolmony, spokesperson for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said that 10 provinces have been hit by the deluge. The rising waters have also inundated 24,505 homes and 12,551 hectares of rice paddies.
According to Kolmony, the current flooding is primarily driven by heavy rainfall rather than a Mekong River overflow.
"Mekong River levels at most of the key monitoring stations remain below the alert level and are trending downwards," he told Xinhua.
However, relief may still be days away. Weather forecasts predict rainfall will continue through Sept. 30.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology reported that Cambodia is experiencing widespread rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds from Sept. 24 to 30, triggered by the peripheral systems of Typhoon Surigae.
Cambodia regularly faces flash floods and Mekong River overflows between July and October. According to NCDM data, floods claimed 19 lives in the country last year. ■