PHNOM PENH: Phnom Penh’s Khan Dangkor is under a state of emergency amid widespread flooding. The announcement was made in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with the Prek Tnaot river rising to dangerously high levels and it's not just parts of Phnom Penh that are dealing with floods. The Ministry of Water Resources has announced that flash floods will hit a wide area of the country over the next 24 hours.

At around 1am on Wednesday authorities were still busy excavating land near the Prek Tnaot river, in order to facilitate the flow of water and prevent even more flooding. One hour before, the Phnom Penh Department of Public Works and Transport had declared a flood emergency for people living in the communes of Kong Noy, Tien, Spean Thmor, Prek Kampus and Rolous. Evacuations were ordered immediately. Locals say the water is heading towards Kour Srov and that the southern parts of the river might affect National Road 2 at Wat Preah Theat in Kandal.

Later on Wednesday, the Ministry of Water Resources issued a flash flood warning for a wide swathe of the country over the next 24 hours. Flood warnings have been announced for Phnom Penh as well as the provinces of Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Kandal, Takeo, Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Mondulkiri, Thbong Khmum, Kampong Cham, Kampot, Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk. The heavy weather is being brought in by a typhoon, currently pummeling central Vietnam.

^{PHOTO: SARY}