Cambodia launches info sharing system to protect people from floods, natural disaster

Cambodia suffers from Mekong and flash floods as well as strong winds every year during the rainy season. - AFP

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Cambodia's National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), in cooperation with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), on Wednesday (July 22) launched a new digital information platform linking remote sensing technology with vulnerability data to measure climate disaster risk and impacts in the kingdom.

NCDM's first vice president Kun Kim and WFP country director for Cambodia Francesca Erdelmann jointly unveiled the Platform for Real-time Impact and Situation Monitoring (PRISM), which is a web-based platform providing timely information on population risk on multiple types of hazards.

Kim said improving the country's disaster response was very important to minimise the impacts of natural disasters on people.

"PRISM is a smart, responsive information and service delivery system that aims to build and ensure community resiliency to climate shocks through evidence-based preparedness and post-disaster management," he said.

Francesca said WFP has provided technical support to NCDM to develop the system that links field assessment information, early warning systems, remote sensing technology and socio-economic vulnerability data to measure disaster risk and impacts in Cambodia.

"This interactive, user-friendly platform will provide updated, real-time information to decision-makers, inform development activities and emergency decisions, and facilitate the implementation of social protection programs," she said.

The Southeast Asian nation suffers from Mekong and flash floods as well as strong winds every year during the rainy season. Last year, floods hit the kingdom in August and September, leaving 11 persons dead and 10,000 families evacuated to higher grounds, according to the NCDM.