Strong winds that whipped through Preah Sihanouk and Kampot provinces on Monday damaged nearly 2,000 houses, destroying 21 of them and injuring two people.

Just over 1,530 houses across three communes in Preah Sihanouk’s Prey Nop district were damaged by the gusts, with 14 reduced to rubble, district deputy police chief Khem Sophal said yesterday.

“The wind hit houses for about three hours in Samaki, Teuk Thla and La’ak communes, and caused light damage to 1,517 houses and destroyed 14,” Sohal said, adding that a man and woman who were in one of the demolished houses were injured. “Similar strong winds also happened on December 17 and 18, which affected 425 houses.”

Bursts of wind also ravaged 145 houses in Kampot province’s Teuk Chhou district, wiping out seven, said district police chief Sam Ouk. “These strong winds usually happen every winter,” Ouk said.