Severe flooding in Southeast Asia: Welthungerhilfe is supporting victims in Cambodia

32,000 families have had to flee in Cambodia
because of the flooding.(10.10.2011) Welthungerhilfe is assisting victims of the flooding in Cambodia. The population of the region along the Mekong is particularly affected by the heavy rainfall of the last few weeks. A total of over 6 million people have been affected by rain and a series of typhoons in Southeast Asia. 1.5 million hectares of rice have been destroyed and many villages evacuated in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Welthungerhilfe is concentrating its assistance on Cambodia. 206 people have died there so far and 32,000 families have had to flee their homes. Over 270,000 families have been affected by the floods and around 150,000 hectares of rice have been destroyed by the water.

In Stung Treng province in the north of the country, Welthungerhilfe will support families in a number of villages whose houses and fields have been destroyed and whose animals have drowned. The government is providing emergency assistance for the victims, but more resources are needed for reconstruction. The plan is to rebuild houses and distribute seeds as soon as the floods retreat so the people can restart cultivation as quickly as possible. Welthungerhilfe has been working in the area since the beginning of this year to improve the population’s living conditions with a package of measures including giving advice on new agricultural cultivation methods and support for farmers’ self-help groups.