SIEM REAP: The National Committee for Disaster Management has urged the relevant authorities to prepare rice seeds to provide to flood victims in order to help rehabilitate and recover their living situations in a timely manner.

During the Disaster Review Meeting in Siem Reap Province on Sunday, 9 October 2022, the First Deputy Chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Management, Senior Minister Kun Kim, urged the affected municipal authorities, the Department of Resources and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries to re-examine the situation and request rice seeds from the Ministry for distributed to the affected people immediately.

He added that after the situation returns to normal, the relevant departments and units must assess the damage done to the infrastructure to plan for repairs.

The Disaster Review Meeting in Siem Reap was held at the invitation of Senior Minister Kun Kim, as well as the acting provincial governor, Ly Samrith, and other relevant units.

The acting provincial governor said that from 17 September to 9 October 2022, nine districts in Siem Reap were affected by the floods, including Srey Snom, Kralanh, Chi Kreng, Angkor Chum, Varin, Sot Nikum, Prasat Bakong, Puok and Angkor Thom, affecting 25,213 families that live in these areas, 325 villages, 63 communes, and causing damage to 32,465 hectares of rice paddies, which would provide for 23,578 families.

He further added that 2,783 hectares of rice crops were completely damaged, which would normally provide for up to 3,553 families. Additionally, 7,351 hectares of cassava were affected by floods, while 3,120 hectares of cassava completely damaged (these cassava crops would normally provide for up to 4,042 families).

At the same time, 6,802 houses were slightly flooded and 29 houses were completely flooded. A total of 177,470 meters of roads were flooded and 5 270 meters of red soil was damaged.

Of the 21,327 meters of dams, around 95 meters faced damage due to flooding. Among three bridges, damage was done to about 16 meters of bridge, while 81 schools, six health centers, 21 commune administrative buildings and administrative posts, 18 pagodas, and two markets were also flooded.

Acting provincial governor Ly Samrith said that in the past, the Provincial Disaster Management Committee had instructed the Municipal, District, and Commune / Sangkat Disaster Management Committees to take timely response measures by providing donations from DPM Tea Banh and Sieng Nam to the Cambodian Red Cross Branch in Siem Reap Province. The Royal Government of Cambodia team has also visited 4,362 of the affected families in the province, and the relevant authorities are also ready to rehabilitate about 1,466 hectares of land.