"Floodwater released by Chinese dam in Cambodia submerges village", 4 Feb 2018

Floodwater released by a recently opened Chinese hydroelectric dam in Cambodia has completely submerged a village, the campaign group International Rivers said on Friday. Hundreds of families from five villages in the northern province of Stung Treng had moved several months ago to designated project resettlement sites, before the floodwater from the dam submerged the area, the group said.

In Srekor village, site of the submerged area, 10 families relocated to a resettlement village, while 63 stayed behind, moving to forested higher ground…"The thriving community of Srekor has become a silent waterworld," International Rivers said, adding that the village's farms, temple, ancestral graves and fishing grounds had been destroyed.

The 400-megawatt Lower Sesan 2 Dam, a joint venture between China's Hydrolancang International Energy Company and Cambodia's Royal Group, finally began operation in November. Representatives of the joint consortium could not be reached on Friday for comment.

Environmental rights groups have repeatedly warned the project would have a costly impact on the Mekong River's fisheries and biodiversity…[V]illagers said that authorities had not provided help to people who had chosen to stay behind.

Stung Treng provincial authority spokesman Men Kong said the floods were expected and that villagers could still approach authorities about resettlement and compensation.