CARE staff report

In Cambodia: Mid-July brought unexpected levels of especially punishing monsoon rains to the nation. Silt built up in the Mekong River and there were severe run-offs due to deforestation. These factors caused the river to break from its banks, flooding five provinces: Kandal, Kompong Cham, Kratie, Prey Veng and Stung Treng, as well as the metropolitan area of Phnom Penh. Flash floods brought on by thunderstorms led to severe damage in five more provinces: Koh Kong, Kompong Thom, Oddor Meanchey, Siem Reap and Svay Reng.

The disaster traumatized 2.7 million people and displaced many of that number. More than 250 people have died and hundreds more are injured. Prime Minister Hun Sen says 1.3 million people need housing. More than 880,000 acres of rice and other crops have been destroyed, and the damage is estimated at $79 million dollars.

Flooding claimed the homes and livelihoods of millions of Cambodians.

CARE is massing its relief efforts in the provinces where the organization has established programs, and to the most stricken areas: Battambang, Pursat, Kompong Chhnang, Phnom Penh, Kandal, Banteay Meanchy and Prey Veng. CARE has reached more than 60,000 people to date with emergency supplies: 34 tons of food, plastic sheeting, buckets, mosquito nets and sandbags to rebuild earthen dikes. CARE will intensify its operation in the coming weeks, distributing more food and other necessities. CARE also has deployed water and sanitation advisors to help communities minimize the threat of waterborne diseases and increase access to clean water.

"CARE's strategy for the future in this hard-hit area is to expand an existing program that makes credit available to communities who otherwise have difficulty getting loans, said Neil Hawkins, CARE director in Cambodia. "Communities may decide to use the funds in a number of different ways: such as vaccinating livestock, cleaning out silt from wells and ponds, building irrigation canals to help them quickly grow another rice crop, and repair damaged roads to ensure access to health clinics and markets. The important thing is that communities, themselves, decide how best to spend the funds. Making these decisions helps people to become self-reliant, and that's CARE's goal."

CARE is distributing emergency supplies to the most stricken areas of Cambodia.

Another aim of CARE's emergency response is to increase the capacity of the affected populations and local authorities to cope with the floods and to look at ways to reduce the vulnerability of the community to similar events in the long term. CARE also plans to provide vegetable seed to farmers to make up for lost rice crops, and to clean contaminated water sources.

CARE works in seven Cambodian provinces. The agency began working in Cambodia in 1973 but suspended operations in 1975 after the Khmer Rouge came to power. CARE reopened its office in 1990. Since then, the agency has built an extensive network of health centers, savings banks, and contacts with village development committees. It uses this network to reach people most in need of assistance. In 1998-99, nearly 500,000 Cambodians benefited from CARE projects in health, education, small economic activity development and landmine action.

CONTACT: In Cambodia: Neil Hawkins, (011) 855 215 267/8/9