Battambang Province Faces Water Shortage Due to El Niño; Irrigation Support Aims to Avert Crisis

Battambang Province in western Cambodia is facing a severe water shortage due to the El Niño phenomenon, prompting provincial authorities and the central government to implement emergency measures to rescue crops. On July 17, His Excellency Kun Kim, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Management, inspected the Kong Hat irrigation facility in Banan district, Battambang province, and met with farmers facing water scarcity in Kompong Phleung village, Sangke district. During the occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed provincial authorities and relevant ministries to expedite the delivery and distribution of water for irrigating the rain-fed rice fields currently experiencing water deficits. He also urged farmers in the upper reaches who have already received water to exercise understanding and refrain from monopolizing it, ensuring water reaches the lower reaches. His Excellency Chea Bunrith, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, stated that this year's El Niño phenomenon has caused extreme heat and a lack of rainfall across the Kingdom of Cambodia, with Battambang province being particularly affected. Fortunately, after receiving rainfall in the upper parts of Samlot district, technical officials have collected water and are releasing it from the Battambang (Sek Sak) multipurpose dam, Kong Hat weir, Sala Ta On weir, and Peah reservoir in Ek Phnom district to manage and distribute water to farmers. All available water has been maximally utilized and released by technical officials to save the farmers' rice crops. His Excellency Sok Loo, Governor of Battambang Province, informed that the provincial authorities, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, and relevant departments are actively intervening to distribute and supply water to save rice crops in areas where rescue is possible, with a high sense of responsibility. Following the rainfall from Samlot district, the provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology has channeled water through the Sangke River to save rice crops in Ek Phnom district, covering approximately 30,000 hectares. Water is further distributed through the Kong Hat weir to rescue rice crops in Sangke, Banan, Battambang city, Koas Kralor, and Mong Russey districts, encompassing over 100,000 hectares. Farmers expressed their joy and gratitude to the leaders at all levels for their attention and intervention in resolving the water shortage for irrigating their rice cultivation. It is recalled that from July 12 to 14, heavy rainfall occurred in Samlot district, causing flash floods in the upper reaches and subsequent flooding in the lower reaches of Ek Phnom district. However, this flash flood also created an excellent opportunity to collect a substantial amount of water into the Sek Sak reservoir, which the Department of Water Resources and Meteorology and local authorities at all levels in Battambang province have managed and distributed effectively. Source: AKP Khmer