Cambodian authorities start distributing clean water to drought-hit villagers

Authorities in southwestern Cambodia's Kampot province have started distributing clean water to drought-stricken villagers in several districts, local media reported on Thursday.

Kampot provincial police chief Mao Chanmathurith said the operation was a collaborative effort between the government and military police in delivering clean water to more than 500 families in Kampot town's Andoung Khmer commune on Wednesday.

"The provincial governor, Chan Chesda, ordered our working group to deliver the clean water to the villagers in eight districts and towns. We will help to provide water until they tell us they have enough water to use and if they still need more water, we will still help them," he was quoted by the Khmer Times as saying.

He said residents have water for taking baths or washing clothes, but they do not have clean water for drinking and cooking food.

"The larger the bottles they have, the more clean water they can take," he said.

Northwestern Banteay Meanchey province's Mongkol Borei district is also facing shortages of clean water, with residents having to buy extra supplies.

Sy Dy, the Mongkol Borei district police chief, said the villagers in his district are facing serious water shortages, especially in Russey Krom commune, which has more than 100,000 residents.

"We requested the water for our villagers from nearly Battambang province and they will deliver it to us soon. We sent the request to higher provincial officials, but they do not have water to provide," he was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

Dy said villagers have to spend 40,000 riel (10 U.S. dollars) for a 2,000-liter bottle for bathing and need to buy fresh water for drinking.

"This year is very strange compared to others. The water in the wells and ponds are gone and we have to buy water to use," he said, adding that so far, no people or livestock have died as a result of the water shortage.

Meanwhile, the northwestern Siem Reap provincial authorities also distributed clean water to more than 1,600 families in three districts and towns where there are shortages and will continue to provide water to other drought-hit villagers.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Tuesday that the country has been facing severe drought and expressed his profound gratitude to China for discharging water from a hydropower station to the drought-hit Mekong River countries.