Around 40 homes at a community in Russei Keo district — which is slated for relocation — are inundated after heavy rains caused the Tonle Sap to overflow its banks.
The community, around 200 meters north of the Chroy Changva bridge, contains around 400 families living along the riverbank.
On Thursday, two of the 40 homes in one of its villages, Phsar Touch, were completely submerged under river water and residents had to move out with all their belongings. The homes — makeshift structures made of broken wood, corrugated metal sheets and plastic — are very close to the river.
Y Kim Siny’s house is mostly submerged, only the metal roofing is peeking above the water. She, her 3-year-old child and husband have moved to a neighbor’s home for two weeks, always keeping an eye on their young daughter.
This involved moving all their belongings, from clothes to household items. Kim Siny, who is a scavenger, is hoping the water will recede in two weeks, but unfortunately for the family the river level is only rising.
“We are worried about our safety, of course. But we cannot do anything. As a pregnant woman, it is hard for me to move from one place to another,” she said.
When reporters visited the community in July, they had been given three eviction notices this year. Offers of compensation have edged up as the community protested their potential eviction.
Nun Thea, 37, is hosting Kim Siny and her family. The lower level of her home is also flooded and everyone is crammed into a smaller raised room, which is normally her bedroom.
“The water has been rising at the bottom of my house since Thursday last week. But these last few days, the water is rising higher, and that makes us worried and afraid to stay here,” said Thea.
Thea, her husband and daughter refuse to stay in the house during the day and only return to sleep, which is mostly disturbed by heavy winds.
The commune resident, who is also a scavenger, said she didn’t want to live in the village anymore but had nowhere to go or money to buy a new home. “The only choice is to continue living in this old broken wooden house,” she said.
Reach Phavoeurn, Tuol Sangke I commune chief, said around 40 homes were flooded due to heavy rain in the last few days, some of the homes submerged half a meter. She said it was common for the village to flood because it was in a low-lying area.
“We are extremely worried about people living here. And if it continues to rain, they will possibly face more difficulties in their living,” Phavoeurn said.
Asked how authorities were assisting the residents, the commune chief said they could not do anything because it always flooded there.
Prach Seiha, deputy governor of Russei Keo district, said there was little officials were doing to aid the residents, again pointing to the routine nature of the flooding. He added that residents would have to relocate from the village at some point but was not sure when that would happen.
Mao Hak, director of Tonle Sap Authority, said the Tonle Sap river was around 7.5 meters on Thursday and expected to continue rising. “It will not cause any concerns as the water is still controllable. I hope all is fine. But still, residents should pay attention to what could happen” he said.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology on Thursday, the Tonle Sap was expected to rise to 8.2 meters by Friday, with a forecast of normal to heavy rain over the next week.
