| English.news.cn 2013-10-06 18:26:00 |
   
 
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PHNOM PENH, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia announced Sunday to cancel
the annual Water Festival next month since the country has been hit hard
by Mekong flash floods, the government said in a statement on Sunday.
"This year, Mekong floods have been severely hitting Cambodia, claiming human lives and inundating houses, schools, pagodas, hospitals, roads and crops," said the statement signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
"Now, water situation is still in an alarming level and needs to be given high attention to in order to avoid any possible dangers."
"To focus on flood issues, the government decides to suspend the celebration of Water Festival, which is planned on Nov. 16-18 on Tonle Sap River in front of the Royal Palace," it said
The statement added that despite the cancellation of the festival, civil servants, employees and workers can still enjoy a 3-day holiday on that occasion.
Keo Vy, spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said Sunday that floods have been affecting 15 out of the kingdom's 24 cities and provinces in the last three weeks and have killed at least 39 people.
Besides death toll, the floods have affected more than 130,000 families and forced over 10,000 families to flee homes for higher grounds as some 160,200 hectares of rice paddy have been under water, he said.
Water Festival is the largest annual festival in the Southeast Asian nation. Around 3 million Cambodians, especially those from rural areas, converge in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, to enjoy the regatta.
It is the third consecutive year that the country has canceled the festival.
The cancellation in 2011 was due to flood devastation, which killed at least 250 people and the cancellation in 2012 was due to the death of former King Norodom Sihanouk in October.
"This year, Mekong floods have been severely hitting Cambodia, claiming human lives and inundating houses, schools, pagodas, hospitals, roads and crops," said the statement signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
"Now, water situation is still in an alarming level and needs to be given high attention to in order to avoid any possible dangers."
"To focus on flood issues, the government decides to suspend the celebration of Water Festival, which is planned on Nov. 16-18 on Tonle Sap River in front of the Royal Palace," it said
The statement added that despite the cancellation of the festival, civil servants, employees and workers can still enjoy a 3-day holiday on that occasion.
Keo Vy, spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said Sunday that floods have been affecting 15 out of the kingdom's 24 cities and provinces in the last three weeks and have killed at least 39 people.
Besides death toll, the floods have affected more than 130,000 families and forced over 10,000 families to flee homes for higher grounds as some 160,200 hectares of rice paddy have been under water, he said.
Water Festival is the largest annual festival in the Southeast Asian nation. Around 3 million Cambodians, especially those from rural areas, converge in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, to enjoy the regatta.
It is the third consecutive year that the country has canceled the festival.
The cancellation in 2011 was due to flood devastation, which killed at least 250 people and the cancellation in 2012 was due to the death of former King Norodom Sihanouk in October.
Editor:
Fang Yang
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