China Mekong Water Release Welcomed

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Khmer Times/Ros Chanveasna

Cambodia has welcomed China’s decision to again release water from a dam into the Mekong to help the five lower Mekong basin countries – Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam – gripped by a severe drought.

“The Cambodian government welcomes the Chinese government continuing to discharge water from Jinghong Hydropower station in Yunan province to the downstream Mekong River from April 11 to help alleviate the impact of the drought suffered by the lower Mekong countries,” including Cambodia,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Chan Yutha, spokesman for the Water Resource and Meteorology Ministry, told Khmer Times that about 60 million people who live along the lower Mekong River – including Cambodians – would benefit the discharge of water from China’s upstream dam.

“Even though the water level of the downstream Mekong River does not increase much in Cambodia, it helps reduce the effects of the drought for Cambodian farmers living along the lower Mekong River at Stung Treng, Kratie, Tboung Khmum, Kampong Cham, Kandal, Phnom Penh, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng provinces.

“Previously, the water level of the Mekong River increased from 0.2 meter to 0.3 meter in Cambodia’s Stung Treng province while Laos raising the water level up to 0.5 meter,” Mr. Chan Yutha said, referring to when the water was first released by Chinese government in May.

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