Flooding in Cambodia claims at least 30 lives

At least 30 people in Cambodia have died in recent floods caused by heavy rains and the Mekong River overflowing its banks, a disaster relief official said today.
Keo Vy of Cambodia's disaster management committee the floods have also forced more than 9,000 families to flee their homes and destroyed nearly 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) of rice fields.
He added that nearly 67,000 houses were damaged or submerged, as well as 513 schools, 300 Buddhist pagodas and 25 health centres.
Nine of the country's 24 provinces have been affected so far, he said.
Four people died yesterday night when their car drove into a flooded pond in the eastern province of Prey Veng, police said.

The government warned that the rains will continue as Typhoon Wutip headed toward neighbouring Vietnam late today.

Fatalities and dislocations caused by floods are an annual problem for Cambodia at this time of year.
About 250 people were killed in 2011 in the worst flooding in a decade, according to the government.
This year's flooding death toll already has exceeded the 14 people reported killed by flooding in the relatively dry year of 2012.