Inundation of fields and roads in Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom provinces over the weekend led the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology to warn yesterday that heavy storms would intensify flooding this week.

Weekend downpours had caused the Stung Sen river to overflow into 90 hectares of rice fields in Preah Vihear, governor Om Mara said.

“The rice fields aren’t destroyed, because the floodwater is receding,” he said.

“But if the rain continues for a few more days in a row, the fields will be destroyed.”

The Stung Sen also flooded 50 metres of National Road 6 in Kampong Thom’s Baray district on Sunday, Hak Vuthy, acting director of the province’s water resources department, said.

Lim Phalla, deputy chief of Baray district’s governor, attributed the flooding to inadequate drainage systems.

According to the ministry’s website, yesterday was the beginning of a three-day surge of heavy rain and thunderstorms across the country.

“Be careful close to the rivers and on the roads,” the website says.

To contact the reporter on this story:Phak Seangly at [email protected]