The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology has warned of the continued effects of El Niño, urging authorities to conserve water supplies for domestic use and dry-season farming as Cambodia’s 2026 rainy season comes to an end this month.
In an October 19 statement, the ministry noted that monitoring and analysis of global, regional and local weather conditions indicated that the rainy season would end in the third week of October. The El Niño phenomenon is expected to remain at a 100% level of probability until February 2027, it added.
As the southwest monsoon weakens and the northeast monsoon strengthens, rainfall is expected to be limited, although thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds and other weather phenomena may occur in some parts of the country.
In response, the ministry urged its provincial and municipal departments to protect water resources in reservoirs, lakes and other water bodies, while assessing the available water supply to determine how best to manage it.
Authorities were advised to develop water-use plans focusing on two priorities: Securing supplies for daily household consumption and reserving sufficient water for dry-season rice cultivation and other crops.
The ministry also called on relevant ministries and institutions, local authorities and the public to work together to preserve water resources ahead of the coming dry season and use water sparingly and responsibly.
It stressed the need for particular caution in remote rural areas located far from water sources, where supplies could be more difficult to access.