A hundred military trucks have been readied to transport water to drought-hit provinces, where hundreds of livestock deaths have been reported this month amid scorching heat.
Defense Ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat said the ministry had ordered its transportation unit to prepare the trucks following Prime Minister Hun Sen’s announcement of a government-led drought relief campaign on Tuesday.
Thirty of the trucks will be sent to Banteay Meanchey province, 30 to Oddar Meanchey and the remaining 40 to Battambang, General Socheat said, adding that each truck can carry 4,000 to 6,000 liters of water.
In other provinces, military units are already equipped with the means to help villagers, he said.
The effects of the nationwide drought and heatwave made international news this week after an elephant used to give tourist rides through the Angkor Archaeological Park died on Friday, reportedly due to exhaustion.
In Stung Treng province, Siem Pang district governor Si Suon said 236 buffaloes and 65 cows had died this month from a lack of water and grass.
“We are concerned that more animals will die if the weather stays this hot,” Mr. Suon said.
