Dark clouds over Phnom Penh skyline on September 1. Hong Menea
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) secretariat has issued an alert that a tropical storm is set to make landfall in Mekong countries bringing flooding and landslides.
Lam Hung Son, the secretariat’s head of regional flood and drought management centre, said on September 10 that Tropical Storm Conson, which passed through the Philippines, was interacting with Typhoon Chanthu and evolving in a complex manner.
Cambodia’s north and northwest regions will be hit by the storm. The northern to central provinces of Vietnam will also be affected over the course of the next five days. Elsewhere, the north and northeastern provinces of Thailand and portions of Laos will be impacted.
“We have already alerted national agencies in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam about the arrival of Conson and the possible impacts the storm could bring,” said Lam Hung Son.
He said the low-lying areas could experience flash flooding after relatively short periods of intense rainfall. Rain-induced landslides are also possible on steeply-sloped terrains.
According to the river forecast bulletin of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology released on September 12, the water levels at all hydrological stations will continue to rise until September 15.
Separately, local authorities have said that 228 houses in low-lying areas of some districts in Banteay Meanchey province were flooded and some rural roads were damaged.
Malai district governor Svay Chea told The Post that moderate-to-heavy rains had flooded 228 houses in the Boeung Chung Rouk Techo Win-Win development area in Tuol Pongro commune.
Police officers intervened and helped evacuate people to safety and used machinery to cut off a direct road in the village to release water to mitigate the flooding.
“At this time, the water has slowly receded from the village, but it has still been raining,” he said.
Mongkol Borey district governor Roth Dasi Nong said on September 12 that due to the rain and water flowing from the Borvel River, the Mongkol Borey River’s waters have begun to rise and have flooded some roads and canals in Soeu commune.
“The level of floodwater now is still under our control. We ask people to be careful about the floods and especially to exercise increased caution for the safety of children and the elderly in their families,” he said.
