Mekong floods kill 32 people in Cambodia so far

Mekong floods have claimed 32 lives in Cambodia, including 15 children, in the last six weeks, Keo Vy, a spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said Monday.

Six provinces along the Mekong River, namely Stung Treng, Kratie, Tboung Khmum, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, and Kandal, have suffered from the Mekong overflow, he said.

The floods had affected almost 100,000 families, forcing 8,963 families to evacuate to higher grounds, the spokesman said.

Besides, more than 23,000 hectares of rice paddy and 3,100 hectares of other crops had been destroyed, he added.

"The water is receding these days and we hope that the situation will improve in coming weeks if there is no more rain or impact from storms," he told Xinhua.

Floods usually hit the Southeast Asian nation between late July and October. In 2011, the country suffered the worst from flooding, killing up to 250 people, according to the NCDM.

Source: Xinhua