Development, Restoration Projects for Typhoon-Hit Regions in 2010

Written by DAP NEWS -- Saturday, 17 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Cambodia will in 2010 initiate development and restoration projects for typhoon-hit regions, Nhim Vanda, first deputy president of the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) said on Friday

Relevant ministries and agencies must evaluate the disaster damage clearly and to help the Government’s prioritize action and more efficiently redevelop, Nhim Vanda told a meeting of the disaster management officials from across Cambodia at his office. The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) will now concentrate on restoration projects in typhoon-hit regions, he said.

“We will cooperate with development partners and international aid agencies to help restore the typhoon hit regions, and so far we had to help victims rapidly,” he added. “Now the World Bank, ADB and other partners expressed their willingness to help restore infrastructure affected and destroyed by the storm.”

Cambodia is facing “floods from this storm and rain that caused our local farmers’ rice fields and infrastructure to be in a serious condition.”

Over 1,100 schools have affected by flooding with students unable to attend classes, he added. More seriously, farmers have lost seedlings and need seeds replanting rice, he said, adding that nearly 20,000 hectares of rice fields in Kompong Thom province alone were destroyed. Some regions have also suffered disruptions to transport and health services, and impacts on everyday life.

“We also are concerned with food security for next year but perhaps this year we will harvest 3 million ton of rice and, depending on the weather and, we could possibly rescue our rice. We also are concerned over temples affected by the floods and the erosion in surrounding regions,” Nhim Vanda said.

Initial estimates of the damage are about US$29 million, according to an NDMC report. Thousands of families have been affected and national roads need to restore quickly to facilitate trade, it added.

But the damage could yet turn out to be more costly than first thought because flooding has not receded yet in some provinces, said Ly Thuch, second NDMC deputy president. “If it recedes soon, other rice fields and other infrastructure could survive,” he said.

“This disaster tested our decentralization and power delegation for the sub-national level,” he added. “All ministries and agencies need to cooperate to save people.”

Keung Moa, under-secretary of state for the Transport Ministry, said that his ministry will spend about US$3 million to help restore national roads and rural tracks. The Transport Ministry is in discussions with the MEF about the road rehabilitation, he added. According to the Disaster Manag- ement Committee of Kratie Province, the storm completely destroyed 81 hectares of recently planted rubber saplings.

Ketsana hit Cambodia last week and it affected Kampng Thom, Ranatakkiri, Modulkiri, Kampong Cham, Oddor Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, with lesser impacts in Preah Vihear province and Kratie province. It killed at least 20 people in Kampong Thom alone.