A publication on floods in the Lower Mekong River Basin was conducted by Mr. Saingim Sok, a consultant under assignment from Cambodia Water Partnership. A total of 50 pages of literature reviews summarize the flood characteristics and impacts on the communities in various places in the Mekong river basin, through the year of existing records with increasing negative impacts from rapid pace of economic development to meet the need for increasing demography and better living conditions.
The flood risk reduction strategies evolved with time where the Mekong River Commission is the leading organization in the region supported by communities of scientists throughout the world. Cumulative negative impacts from development and climate change surpassed the traditional capacity of community in living with floods and taking maximum advantage of floods.
Results from different studies conducted by the MRC’s Regional Flood Risk Management and Mitigation Center, particularly the “Council Study” clearly indicates that the level of damages caused by flood will increase by 5 to 10 times in the future with the level of invested assets, particularly during extreme floods. Member countries need to develop a long term integrated flood risk management and mitigation strategy based on strong scientific based approaches.