El Niño Drought Hits Nearly 20,000 Hectares of Rice in Pursat

Nearly 20,000 hectares of rice fields in Pursat province have been affected by drought conditions due to a mid-season dry spell, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon. Unusually hot weather and below-average rainfall are impacting much of Cambodia, with the dry spell expected to persist until August 10. According to the Pursat provincial administration, farmers had planted 136,885 hectares of wet-season rice as of July 17, slightly exceeding the province's target. However, a prolonged dry spell since early July has left 19,321 hectares of rice fields in Bakan and Kandieng districts short of irrigation water. To mitigate the impact, provincial governor Khoy Rida oversaw the installation of two mobile water pumps on July 20. These pumps are intended to supply irrigation water to approximately 1,650 hectares of drought-affected rice fields in Phteah Prey commune of Pursat town, and Veal and Koh Chum communes in Kandieng district. The governor instructed the Provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology to continue monitoring weather conditions and their impact on crops. He also urged local authorities and relevant departments to cooperate in managing and distributing water fairly, transparently, and efficiently, ensuring farmers receive adequate irrigation supplies. Emergency response teams have also been instructed to remain on standby to assist areas experiencing severe water shortages, particularly those located far from available water sources. El Niño Reducing Rainfall The provincial administration stated that El Niño is continuing to generate unusually hot weather and significantly reduced rainfall across most of Cambodia. While Pursat received rainfall at the beginning of the wet season, most of it fell over the Cardamom Mountains. The province's central lowland areas received limited rainfall, leaving many wet-season rice fields without sufficient irrigation water. The water resources department has begun pumping water from Reservoir No. 3, where storage has fallen to 6.5 million cubic metres, or 35% of capacity. Water releases from this reservoir are scheduled to end on July 21. Reservoir No. 5 still holds approximately 22 million cubic metres of water, equivalent to 85% of capacity, with water releases expected to continue until reservoir levels fall to five metres. Authorities are also continuing emergency water distribution to the hardest-hit areas while supplementing flows into the Pursat River. The water resources department, along with departments from several other provinces, has warned that from July 20 to August 10, the influence of El Niño will weaken the southwest monsoon, resulting in rainfall well below the long-term average and increasing the risk of drought ranging from moderate to severe. To minimize the impact, the department has called on local authorities to prepare effective water management and distribution plans. Farmers have been advised to use available water efficiently, consider planting crop varieties that require less water, or postpone cultivation in areas where irrigation supplies are insufficient. The general public has also been urged to conserve water in their daily lives and to follow official weather advisories and updates issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology.