An elderly Tumpuon indigenous woman, her adult daughter and two young grandsons disappeared almost a week ago, when flash floods swept their Ratanakkiri province home away on the night of September 25.
O’Chum district governor Keang Tola, whose district includes the missing family’s home, in Samaki commune’s Ping village, told The Post on October 1 that a team has been searching for the four since September 26, but they have not yet been found.
“Today is the sixth day, and we still haven’t found them. Our forces are continuing the search. I’m on site… The victims include two females and two males — the grandmother, her daughter and two grandchildren,” he said via phone, while taking part in search operations.
Local media has reported that the two missing children are one- and six-year-old brothers.
Tola also announced a reward of four million riel ($1,000) for anyone who finds the four missing persons.
On the night of the incident, five people went missing, but the body of a male victim was found the following day in a nearby stream.
According to the Ratanakkiri provincial administration, deputy provincial governor Neang Sam Ath is leading the search, by mixed provincial forces and the Secretariat of the Provincial Disaster Management Committee, in cooperation with O’Chum district authorities and local officials.
“Due to difficult terrain, deep streams and strong floodwaters, as well as areas clogged with forest debris from the torrent, the search has been challenging. As of now, the four missing residents have still not been found. The district administration, along with the provincial administration, are working tirelessly, leading forces to continue the search,” it stated.
Beyond O’Chum district, flooding from heavy rains has also affected Lumphat and Kon Mom districts in Ratanakkiri.
In Lumphat, three communes have been affected, involving 3,467 families. In Kon Mom district, 983 families across five communes have impacted. Approximately 900 families have been evacuated, with the Cambodian Red Cross providing humanitarian aid.
On Wednesday, October 1, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology announced that a low-pressure system over the South China Sea is exerting strong influence over the southwest monsoon affecting the Andaman Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, the Mekong Basin and Cambodia.
This situation is expected to cause thunderstorms and strong winds over 40% of the lowland areas from October 1–3. In the highlands, rainfall with thunderstorms and strong winds may cover 50% of the area, and along the coast, similar conditions may affect 45% of the territory.
