The Ministry of Commerce has released a total of nearly 500 tonnes of rice reserves and other food items to be distributed to flood-affected people in six provinces, including Kampong Thom, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Preah Vihear, Battambang and Oddar Meanchey.

Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak said that his ministry is ready to distribute its food inventory to deal with the immediate problems caused by the flooding, according the ministry’s social media post.

He said that the government's stockpile of food stocks, which the commerce ministry has taken direct control of, is carefully used in accordance with sub-decree no 124 on the establishment of the reserve food system in Cambodia.

The ministry has allocated and released the food stocks, including rice, noodles, pure water, fish sauce, soy sauce and canned fish to the target provinces in order to distribute needed aid to flood victims in a timely manner.

According to Sorasak, the food was distributed to 7,825 families in Kampong Thom province, 2,750 families in Banteay Meanchey province, 1,000 families in Battambang province, 247 families in Preah Vihear province, 250 families in Oddar Meanchey province and 59,914 families in Siem Reap province.

In total, as of October 14, the ministry has released food to 17,986 families, which is equivalent to 17,986 prepped food kits.

On the morning of October 18, the inter-ministerial working group led by Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth held a meeting to review and discuss the assessment of the impacts caused by the floods.

The meeting was held via video conference and attended by officials from the National Disaster Management Committee, the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Commerce and other ministry and institution representatives.