Heavy rain displaces thousands as floods hit 10 Cambodian provinces

　　PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall have affected 44,889 families across Cambodia, forcing 3,685 families to evacuate to higher ground, a disaster control spokesperson said on Monday.

　　Soth Kim Kolmony, spokesperson for the National Committee for Disaster Management, said that 10 provinces have been hit by the deluge. The rising waters have also impacted 40,384 homes and 49,925 hectares of rice paddies, with Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, and Siem Reap identified as the worst-hit provinces.

　　Kolmony noted that the current flooding is driven primarily by local heavy rainfall. The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology reported that Cambodia is experiencing widespread rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds from Sept. 24 to 30, triggered by the peripheral systems of Typhoon Surigae. ■