Heavy rains caused by Tropical Storm Sonca claimed the life of a second child in Preah Vihear province yesterday and are continuing to force evacuations and road closures across northern Cambodia, according to officials.

Choam Ksan District Governor Chea Kemseng confirmed yesterday that a girl had died in the heavy flooding, the day after a 13-year-old boy from the same province was swept away by floodwaters and drowned.

Forty-eight families in Choam Ksan district were also forced to evacuate their homes yesterday, according to Un Chanda, Preah Vihear provincial governor.

Heavy rains are expected to pound northern Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam for another two days.

In Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces, 250 families were evacuated to higher elevations yesterday while rain continued to fall on the Dangrek Mountains, according to provincial authorities.

Chea Piseth, spokesman for Oddar Meanchey Provincial Hall, said yesterday afternoon that homes in Trapaing Prasat and Anlong Veng districts were flooded and some national roads were temporarily closed.

Officials said water levels in the Ta Mok Reservoir and Stung Sen River surpassed alert levels yesterday by more than a metre, flooding roads and homes near the reservoir and forcing people in Chheb, Kulen and Chey Sen districts to evacuate.

Stung Treng provincial authorities also appealed to people living along the Mekong, Sesan and Sre Pok rivers to be cautious.

Men Kong, spokesman for Stung Treng Provincial Hall, said water levels at Stung Treng Provincial Hydro Station were close to reaching alert levels and that water levels at the Sesan and Sre Pok rivers at the upper part of the Lower Sesan II hydropower dam are increasing dramatically.

“At the moment, provincial authorities are sending the joint authority forces to the area, which might be flooded in the near future, so that they can rescue the people in time,” Kong said.

Meanwhile, 300 homes in Kampong Kraeng commune in Kampot province also flooded yesterday after heavy rains triggered the Sinohydro Kamchay Hydroelectric Company to open four water gates at the Kamchay dam, according to Sam Ouk, Teuk Chheu district police chief.

After local authorities intervened, the company closed three of the gates and the water receded, Ouk said.

“However, the villagers are worrying about the heavy rain and that the company will secretly open the water again,” he added.