Preah Vihear Flood Victims Receive Swift Aid Amidst Ongoing Displacement

In a further test of the resilience of civilians displaced by the border fighting in Preah Vihear province, heavy rainfall caused severe flooding at a temporary shelter in Kulen district. Authorities responded immediately, with heavy machinery opening new drainage channels and relieving the sodden civilians within hours. The flooding took place at the camp, in Takeng Baitong village, Thmei commune, on June 30. Senior Minister Kun Kim, first vice-president of the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), explained that he ordered an immediate response, with the Preah Vihear provincial administration working with the Samdech Techo Siem Reap Engineering Unit to deploy heavy equipment. The engineers excavated drainage channels and breached sections of road to allow floodwaters to flow away, with waters subsiding in around three hours. Preah Vihear provincial governor Kim Rithy was also part of the relief operation. He explained that although Takeng Baitong is located on elevated ground, the exceptionally heavy rainfall coincided with the ongoing construction of the area’s drainage system, which has not yet been completed, resulting in the temporary flooding. Nearly 700 temporary homes have been built at the site, for families displaced by the border conflict, with three rounds of lotteries already held to allocate the homes. A ‘waiting village’ for displaced families in Preah Vihear province’s Takeng Baitong village