Severe flooding in Cambodia leaves 58 dead

September 24, 2011 – CAMBODIA – Unusually severe flooding in Cambodia has left at least 58 people dead, including 31 children, a disaster official said Friday. Heavy rains since August and overflow from the Mekong River have left large areas waterlogged, affecting thousands of hectares of rice paddies, Keo Vy of the National Committee for Disaster Management told AFP. “Flooding this year has caused more serious damage than in previous years,” he said, adding that at least 5 633 families have been evacuated from their homes to higher ground. Nearly 200 tourists, including foreigners, were airlifted from Cambodia’s famed Angkor temple complex on Thursday after a road to one of the ruins was cut off by flash floods. In neighboring Thailand, almost two months of severe flooding have left at least 140 people dead. –Time