PHNOM PENH, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian authorities have been evacuating about 1,612 inmates from a prison in Northwest Banteay Meanchey province on Tuesday after heavy flooding has filled the cells, a prison chief said.
"Some 811 of the prisoners were already taken by bus from the flooded Banteay Meanchey provincial prison to the Siem Reap provincial prison on Tuesday morning," Ung Siphan, chief of the Banteay Meanchey provincial prison, told Xinhua via telephone.
"They were escorted by additional police officers and prison guards during the evacuation," he added.
The remaining inmates are being transferred to other detention centers in other neighboring provinces, Siphan said, adding that currently, the prison complex is under 30 centimeters of water.
"We began to evacuate them because we're worried that there will be further flooding in coming days," he said.
Flash floods have been hitting parts of 19 cities and provinces across Cambodia since Oct. 1 and have killed 11 people so far, Seak Vichet, a spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said on Tuesday.
He said some 34,378 families have been affected by the floods, and 2,268 families have been evacuated to higher ground.
"As of the morning of Oct. 13, the floods have claimed 11 lives, including three children," he told Xinhua, adding that the worst-hit provinces included Battambang, Pursat, and Banteay Meanchey in the country's northwestern part.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology said in a statement on Tuesday that further widespread rain, wind, and high waves are forecast from Oct. 16 to 20 because the kingdom is suffering from the impact of two subsequent tropical storms, namely Nangka and Saudel, which could result in further flooding.
"Fishermen and sea travelers should be extra-vigilant to avoid any possible dangers because there will be heavy rainfall with strong winds and high waves from Oct. 16 to 20," the statement said.
Floods usually hit Cambodia between August and October. Last year, Mekong River and flash floods claimed 30 lives, as storms killed eight people and injured 131 others, according to the NCDM. Enditem
