Floods kill 19 Cambodians as thousands evacuated

At least 19 people in Cambodia have died and thousands have been evacuated from homes to higher grounds in floods caused by monsoon rains and rivers overflowing their banks, a senior official said Saturday.
"Since last week, floods have killed 19 people," Nhim Vanda, 1st vice-president of the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), told reporters while inspecting flood situation in Southern Kandal province. "Besides, more than 8,000 families have been evacuated from their homes to higher grounds."
The official said currently, 12 of the country's 25 cities and provinces are suffering from floods caused by monsoon rains and the Mekong river overflowing.
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday appealed to dwellers along the Mekong river and Tonle Sap Lake to be extra vigilant over flooding and ordered local authorities to work closely with the Cambodian Red Cross to assist flood-affected families.
Flooding usually hits Cambodia between August and October. Last year, it killed 168 people and affected other 1.8 million people, according to the NCDM.