OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Cambodia - Floods and Drought
25 September 2002


This report is based on information provided by the Office of the UN
Resident Coordinator in Cambodia, the National Committee for Disaster
Management (NCDM), the Mekong River Commission, the Red Cross, NGO and
media reports.

Situation and Damage

Floods

1.  Water levels in the Mekong River started rising on 11 July due to
heavy rainfall at the border with Laos.  Two peaks in water levels have
been recorded so far. The floods have affected above all the provinces of
Stung Treng, Kratie, Kampong Cham, Kandal, and Prey Veng. Two districts in
Takeo, three in Prey Veng, and two in Kandal are still flooded. According
to the Mekong River Commission, water levels still exceed alarm stages in
the lower reaches of the river, between Phnom Penh and the border with
Viet Nam, and are expected to rise and exceed alarm stages at Pakse,
Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh gauging stations in the coming days.

2.  Disaster management officials report that over 1,470,000 people in 365
communes - of a total of 1,621 communes - were affected and that 29 people
lost their lives due to the floods. The International Federation of the
Red Cross on 30 August estimated that 16,341 families had moved to higher
ground.  According to the NCDM, most of them have returned to their homes.
Over 470,000 people now face food shortages.


Drought

3.  Simultaneously, a prolonged drought due to unusually dry weather
during the rainy season is affecting 551 communes, in particular in
Kampong Speu, Takeo, Prey Veng provinces in the south and Odar Meanchey
province in the northwest of the country. The drought started as early as
January 2002 in some places and by the end of July had spread to all 24
provinces, with the provinces of Kampong Speu, Takeo, Kampot, and Kampong
Chhnang hardest-hit. Some of the most-affected districts were in other
provinces, namely Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Prey Veng and Battambang
provinces. NCDM officials in early August described the drought as the
worst in two decades. The drought prevailed until the onset of rains in
mid-August, but in 50 communes in Kampong Speu, Takeo, Prey Veng, and
Kandal provinces, rainfall has been insufficient to start planting.

4.  As a result of the drought, farmers have not been able to plant wet
season rice, or transplanted seedlings were damaged. Crop production has
been significantly affected, especially in Prey Veng and Kampong Speu
provinces.  Subsidiary crops were also heavily damaged. Up to 19
September, only 1,237,604 hectares of rice have been planted in Cambodia,
out of a normal 1,929,000 hectares (i.e.  64%).  It is anticipated that
this percentage could reach 80% (1.6 million hectares) over the coming
weeks.

5.  According to Government estimates, over 650,000 people are facing food
shortages due to the drought.  Populations in affected areas are highly
vulnerable, as they have been affected by natural disasters for the third
year in a row.


National and International Response

6.  The effects of the persistent drought and the flooding in the
provinces along the Mekong River on the population led the Government to
issue a declaration on the disaster situation and appeal for international
assistance on 23 August 2002.

7.  The NCDM is working closely with concerned government institutions and
UN agencies and has played a key role in coordinating the response. The UN
Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) is closely monitoring the situation.

8.  The local authorities, the Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) and NGOs have
helped people in flood-affected areas move to higher ground and
distributed assistance to people in both flood- and drought-affected
areas.

9.  FAO has provided 3,000 metric tons of rice seeds to the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries (MAFF).

10.  According to the latest UNDMT estimates, an additional 1,300 metric
tons of rice seeds are needed in order to reach a satisfactory level of
crop production in Cambodia, especially in those areas that have been most
severely affected.  Based on current estimates from the MAFF, the need for
rice seeds is particularly important in the provinces of Prey Veng, Takeo,
Svay Rieng, Kandal and Kampong Cham. The planting season comes to an end
in mid-October.

11.  A complete update on the situation, based on a joint Government, UN,
donor, Red Cross and NGO damage and needs' assessments at provincial
level, is expected by the end of the week. It will include additional data
on seed requirements.

12.  OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions to be
used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination/consultation with
relevant organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details
please contact the Desk Officers indicated below. OCHA provides donors
with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization
of the funds contributed.

13.  For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA
Geneva, as indicated below, on relief missions/pledges/contributions and
their corresponding values by item.

14. OCHA is in close contact with the Office of the UN Resident
Coordinator in Cambodia.

15.  This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int


Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
  Mr. Rudolf Muller / Ms. Marie Spaak
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 3131 / 17 28

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  (NYC)  Brian Grogan direct Tel. +1-212-963-1143


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