Cold Spell To Last Until Weekend: Officials

The cold spell that is currently sweeping the country is expected to last until the weekend at least, officials said Wednesday.

With low temperatures countrywide averaging around 18 degrees Celsius, warnings have also been sounded that a few degrees lower could be dangerous.

“The temperature has not reach­ed an emergency low [of 12 de­grees Celsius] yet but we will alert people if it does,” Ministry for Wa­ter Re­sources and Meteorology De­­part­ment Director Long Sara­vuth said.

“Twelve degrees can kill older people,” he said.

A statement from the ministry Wednesday said that temperatures had dipped to around 17 degrees in Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Pailin and Battambang province, 18 degrees in Pursat and Kompong Thom province and 19 degrees in Phnom Penh, Kandal, Svay Rieng and Prey Veng province.

Strong sea winds and a high pressure front emanating from Siberia combined for the drop in temperature, which was expected to last for three to four days, the statement added.

Seasonal norms in the floodplains of Cambodia are usually around 22 degrees Celsius at this time of year but can be lower in the more mountainous regions.

Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Pa Socheatvong said City Hall had taken no measures yet to assist homeless people in the city during the chilly spell.

“The Ministry for Water Re­sources and Meteorology should tell us what steps we should take,” he said.

Last year temperatures in Mon­dolkiri province plummeted to 7 degrees Celsius—the lowest in 27 years of records.

Mondolkiri provincial Governor Lay Sokha said Wednesday that the cur­rent temperature of between 16 and 17 degrees Celsius was not a concern.

Nevertheless, provincial authorities have warned locals to wear thick clothes and light fires to keep warm, he said.

 

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