Continued flooding led to nine more deaths Tuesday, in addition to causing the collapse of homes and forcing the closure of several roads, officials said.
A women and three children died when their boat overturned on the Mekong River in Kratie’s Sambo district, provincial officials said.
Further down river, three women and a child drowned when in Kompong Cham’s Tbong Khmum district, officials said.
The ninth victim was a 5-year-old boy who was killed when his house collapsed into the Mekong in Stung Treng’s Siem Bok district, authorities said.
Electricity remained cut off through most of Kompong Cham town, according to penal police chief Seng Sokim. All police and construction workers on the Mekong Bridge project there have been put to work building dams.
Heavy trucks and taxis were being stopped and partially unloaded before being allowed to drive through an 800-meter stretch of Route 1 that was under water.
A stretch of Route 6A in Kompong Cham’s Batheay district was sinking, according to Peou Samy, secretary-general of the National Committee for Disaster Management. Route 11 in Prey Veng province was also flooded in spots.
Takeo Governor Kep Chuk Tema predicted a 2,300-meter stretch of Route 2 in Kiri Vong district would be flooded by this morning. About 4,000 families in the province have been evacuated to higher ground.
What has meteorology officials most concerned is rising waters to the north and to the south of Phnom Penh. Minister of Meteorology Lim Kean Hor said on Apsara Radio that the Bassac River would probably rise over 11 meters, close to flood level.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has planned trips for Thursday and Friday to view flood damage and meet the victims.
(Additional reporting by Ham Samnang)
