Local authorities said 103 households in Prey Khpos commune of Battambang province’s Bavel district were flooded after the O'Sandan dam collapsed on the night of September 11.

Commune chief Hach Han told The Post that the floods had now affected nearly 100ha of rice fields and mixed crops and ravaged over 2,000m of rural roads.

“However, the floods have not yet reached a level that requires the evacuation of people from their homes,” he said.

According to Han, local authorities are now using machinery to repair the dam, designed to store water for use in the dry season.

He noted that water leaking from the construction of the dam was flowing down to the construction site of the Prek Soeur diversion dam in Mongkol Borei district’s Soeus commune of Banteay Meanchey province. People in the affected areas should be cautious, he warned.

Soeus commune chief Chea Ty told The Post on September 12 that water flowing from Battambang province’s Bavel district and Banteay Meanchey province’s Malai district were causing flooding to some homes in his commune, especially those near to the Mongkol Borei River in O’ Chuob Thmey and Balang Chrey villages.

“The floods have struck 30 homes in the two villages, but no evacuation was necessary as yet,” he said.

Malai district governor Svay Chea told The Post that the water level of the stream along the border had receded, and that while the weather was overcast, there had been no rain.