Drought hits 2.5 mln Cambodians

Approximately 2.5 million people in Cambodia have been facing water shortages in the worst drought in a century, Nhim Vanda, vice president of the National Center for Disaster Management, said on Thursday.

"After the large-scale water distribution campaign announced by Prime Minister Hun Sen on April 26, we have delivered water to about 80 percent of those drought-affected people in nearly 100 districts across Cambodia," he said.

Temperatures have been 42 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country.

In the past week, a 45-year-old female elephant used to carry tourists in the Angkor Archaeological Park in northwestern Siem Reap province collapsed and died due to heat stroke.

Over 300 buffalos and cows in northeastern Stung Treng province and about 65 tons of fish in a lake in central Kampong Thom province had died of drought and heat waves.

However, the disaster has not cost any human life yet, said Nhim Vanda.

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday morning renewed his call on authorities, armed forces and charitable organizations to continue distributing water to drought-stricken people.

It is forecast that drought will continue in the Southeast Asian country until July due to the impacts of El Nino.