Death toll rises to 152 in Cambodia floods
- October 18, 2013, 12:33 pm
- World News
- 89 Views
Phnom Penh, Oct 18 (Online): At least 152 died in flash floods of the Mekong river in Cambodia and 418,770 families have been affected, officials said on Friday.
Floods have hit Cambodia twice this year between August and October. The flood in August claimed 13 people and in October it took 139 lives, said Pon Narith, secretary general of the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM).
Besides, 27,500 families have moved to higher grounds. About 208,200 houses, 1,390 schools, and 500 pagodas have been submerged in water, reports Xinhua.
About 300,500 hectares of paddy have been destroyed. Almost 241 km of national roads and 3,100 km of gravel roads affected.
Flood water receded in most of the areas. "This year's flood is as bad as that in 2011," he said.
In 2011, 250 people died in flash floods and damaged property worth USD 521 million.
