Thursday, 10 September 2009

Storms hinder search efforts

Photo by: Sovan Philong
A man stops to put on his poncho during a rainstorm Wednesday in Phnom Penh.


The Phnom Penh Post
Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:01 Tep Nimol

THE bodies of two girls who were swept out to sea at a Preah Sihanouk province beach this weekend still have not been found, officials said Wednesday, as storms continued to sweep across Cambodia.

"The coast guard is looking for the bodies but cannot find them," said deputy police Chief Yin Binnath. "It is very difficult because it is still raining very heavily."

Meanwhile, Kampot province officials said floods have nearly receded except in two communes, Mak Prang and Kraeng, both in Teuk Chhou district, according to Sou Chea, deputy governor of Kampot province.

Ratanakkiri province's Lumphat district, along the Sre Pork River, has been reported to be seriously affected by floods, with officials forced to evacuate almost 300 families.

Lumphat district Governor Kong Srun said Chey Otdam, Ka Laeng and Seda communes have been severely flooded, with the river bursting its banks Wednesday.

Seth Vannareth, director of the Department of Meteorology at the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, warned that the rain would continue to fall in coastal areas and the central plain area around the Tonle Sap River. "Cambodia has been affected by the low pressure of the southwestern monsoon. The meteorology department will announce later when the effects are expected to end."

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