No new flood fatalities were reported Monday in Cambodia, but waters continued rise on the country’s major rivers, causing problems through much of the country.
The hardest hit province has been Kompong Cham. Second Deputy Governor Mao Phirum said all 11 districts have suffered damage. He said 15 lives have been lost in the most recent flooding, and 12 people died during the first serious flooding in July.
Streets in downtown Kompong Cham town remain flooded, and there is enough water flowing over the roads on the outskirts of town to disrupt traffic. The water level Monday was 15.85 meters, more than .6 meters over the flood level, but meteorology officials predict the river will begin to recede in that area today.
A series of storms in the South Pacific are not only producing heavier-than-normal rainfall, but also high winds on the Gulf of Thailand. Police officials in Sihanoukville say fisherman are being especially careful about venturing out and are monitoring forecasts broadcast on Thai and Vietnamese radio.
The water level in Phnom Penh crept up to 10.91 meters on Monday, with a level of 10.98 meters predicted for Thursday. Officials have said flooding in the city would occur at 11.2 meters.
Meteorologists have predicted several major storms will inundate the region with rain and could produce a series of floods during this rainy season.
About 100 scientists gathered at the International Workshop on Hydrologic and Environmental Modeling in the Mekong Basin are, ironically, more concerned with a shortage of future water.
“We need to create rules on the utilization of water,” said Khy Tainglim, Mekong River Commission council chairman and Minister of Public Works and Transport. “In the future, water will be scarce, because development is so fast, and much water is going to be used.”
The two-day conference concludes today. One of the papers being presented deals with simulation techniques for runoff and flood forecasting.
