Totally Fine Foundation · Issue 005 · Flood / Harvest Loss

Cambodia Floods 2026

Last reviewed · Totally Fine Foundation editorial desk · 9 min

The water came after a drought, and it came just before the harvest. Flooding in September and October 2026 affected ten provinces, with Battambang and Banteay Meanchey among the hardest hit and Battambang the most severely affected. According to the Asian Disaster Reduction Center, citing a DCA/WFP update, 109,985 families were affected across ten provinces as of 5 October 2026; according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 240,583 hectares of agricultural crops were affected across fourteen provinces as of 16 October 2026.

Metrics

First Dry, Then Drowned: Cambodia's Harvest Under Water

Ten Provinces Under Water

Flooding in Cambodia in September and October 2026 affected ten provinces, following heavy rainfall.

Battambang and Banteay Meanchey were among the provinces hit hardest by the flooding, and Battambang was the most severely affected.

By 31 October 2026, floodwaters had receded in many affected areas and most evacuees had returned home, though low-lying areas remained inundated.

Sources: reliefweb.int — ReliefWeb flood update: Cambodia, 26 October 2026; mekongindependent.com — Drought, Floods and El Niño Warnings Hit Northwestern Cambodian Farmers; cambojanews.com — Double Blow to Farmers: Authorities Rush to Provide Aid After Flooding Hits Provinces; cpp.org.kh — Prime Minister Hun Manet Pledges Non-Stop Emergency Relief and Post-Disaster Recovery for Flood Victims; reliefweb.int — World Vision Situation Report #5: Flooding response as of 31 October 2026; wvi.org — World Vision Situation Report #05: flood response and typhoon warning, 31 October 2026

A Harvest Lost Before It Was Cut

Floodwaters inundated rice fields just before harvest, causing heavy crop losses, particularly in Battambang and Pursat.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, flooding had affected 4,670 hectares of wet-season rice across Pursat as of 17 October 2026, impacting 3,104 farming families in 136 villages.

Sources: phnompenhpost.com — Over 36,000ha of Rice Fields in Banteay Meanchey Inundated; mekongindependent.com — Drought, Floods and El Niño Warnings Hit Northwestern Cambodian Farmers; cambodianess.com — Cambodian Farmers Suffer Double Blow as Floods Follow Drought; reliefweb.int — ReliefWeb flood update: Cambodia, 26 October 2026

Counting the Damage: Three Issuers, Five Dates

According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, as of 28 September 2026, floods had affected 57,980 families and 51,874 houses, and 4,819 families had been evacuated.

According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, as of 30 September 2026, about 156,125 hectares of rice fields across 10 provinces had been damaged by flooding.

According to the Asian Disaster Reduction Center, citing a DCA/WFP update, flooding had affected 109,985 families across 10 provinces as of 5 October 2026.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, flooding had affected 240,583 hectares of agricultural crops across 14 provinces as of 16 October 2026.

Sources: cambodianess.com — Flooding Damages Over 150,000 Hectares of Rice, but Food Security Remains Stable; reliefweb.int — ReliefWeb flood update: Cambodia, 26 October 2026

Storm Champi and the El Niño Shadow

The floods followed an earlier period of drought and water shortages in the same farming areas, which the reports link to El Niño.

Storm Champi, the 30th storm of the year, brought rain and thunderstorms to 30–50 percent of Cambodia until 23 October 2026.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, El Niño is expected to persist through February 2027.

Sources: cambojanews.com — Double Blow to Farmers: Authorities Rush to Provide Aid After Flooding Hits Provinces; mekongindependent.com — Drought, Floods and El Niño Warnings Hit Northwestern Cambodian Farmers; cambodianess.com — Cambodian Farmers Suffer Double Blow as Floods Follow Drought

Receding Waters, Remaining Questions

World Vision reported that by 31 October 2026 most evacuees were home and floodwaters had receded in many areas; low-lying areas were still under water.

Angkor Times reported eight deaths from drowning and electrical accidents in Battambang in connection with the flooding; other sources reviewed do not confirm the figure.

Sources: reliefweb.int — World Vision Situation Report #5: Flooding response as of 31 October 2026; wvi.org — World Vision Situation Report #05: flood response and typhoon warning, 31 October 2026; news.angkortimes.com — PM Hun Manet Pledges Continued Emergency Relief and Recovery as Floods Affect 120,000 Households

Claims and evidence

Flooding in September and October 2026 affected 10 provinces, following heavy rainfall.

Claimant: ReliefWeb, Mekong Independent and CamboJA News reporting

Evidence status: confirmed

Counterclaim: No counterclaim documented in the sources reviewed.

Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.

Sources: reliefweb.int — ReliefWeb flood update: Cambodia, 26 October 2026; mekongindependent.com — Drought, Floods and El Niño Warnings Hit Northwestern Cambodian Farmers; cambojanews.com — Double Blow to Farmers: Authorities Rush to Provide Aid After Flooding Hits Provinces

Battambang and Banteay Meanchey were among the provinces hit hardest by the flooding, and Battambang was the most severely affected.

Claimant: Phnom Penh Post, CPP and Cambodianess reporting

Evidence status: confirmed

Counterclaim: No counterclaim documented in the sources reviewed.

Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.

Sources: phnompenhpost.com — Over 36,000ha of Rice Fields in Banteay Meanchey Inundated; cpp.org.kh — Prime Minister Hun Manet Pledges Non-Stop Emergency Relief and Post-Disaster Recovery for Flood Victims; cambodianess.com — Flooding Damages Over 150,000 Hectares of Rice, but Food Security Remains Stable

Floodwaters inundated rice fields just before harvest, causing heavy crop losses, particularly in Battambang and Pursat.

Claimant: Phnom Penh Post, Mekong Independent and Cambodianess reporting

Evidence status: confirmed

Counterclaim: No counterclaim documented in the sources reviewed.

Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.

Sources: phnompenhpost.com — Over 36,000ha of Rice Fields in Banteay Meanchey Inundated; mekongindependent.com — Drought, Floods and El Niño Warnings Hit Northwestern Cambodian Farmers; cambodianess.com — Flooding Damages Over 150,000 Hectares of Rice, but Food Security Remains Stable

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, flooding had affected 240,583 hectares of agricultural crops across 14 provinces as of 2026-10-16.

Claimant: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, as reported by ReliefWeb

Evidence status: likely

Counterclaim: No counterclaim documented in the sources reviewed.

Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.

Sources: reliefweb.int — ReliefWeb flood update: Cambodia, 26 October 2026

According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, about 156,125 hectares of rice fields across 10 provinces had been damaged by flooding as of 2026-09-30.

Claimant: National Committee for Disaster Management, as reported by Cambodianess

Evidence status: likely

Counterclaim: No counterclaim documented in the sources reviewed.

Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.

Sources: cambodianess.com — Flooding Damages Over 150,000 Hectares of Rice, but Food Security Remains Stable

Eight deaths from drowning and electrical accidents were reported in Battambang in connection with the flooding, according to Angkor Times.

Claimant: Angkor Times

Evidence status: likely

Counterclaim: No counterclaim documented in the sources reviewed.

Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.

Sources: news.angkortimes.com — PM Hun Manet Pledges Continued Emergency Relief and Recovery as Floods Affect 120,000 Households

Timeline

  1. — NCDM reports 57,980 families affected and 4,819 evacuated

    According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, as of 28 September 2026 floods had affected 57,980 families and 51,874 houses, and 4,819 families had been evacuated.

    Sources: cambodianess.com — Cambodian Farmers Suffer Double Blow as Floods Follow Drought

  2. — NCDM reports 156,125 hectares of rice fields damaged

    According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, as of 30 September 2026 about 156,125 hectares of rice fields across 10 provinces had been damaged by flooding.

    Sources: cambodianess.com — Flooding Damages Over 150,000 Hectares of Rice, but Food Security Remains Stable

  3. — ADRC/WFP update reports 109,985 families affected

    According to the Asian Disaster Reduction Center, citing a DCA/WFP update, flooding had affected 109,985 families across 10 provinces as of 5 October 2026.

    Sources: reliefweb.int — ReliefWeb flood update: Cambodia, 26 October 2026

  4. — MAFF reports 240,583 hectares of crops affected across 14 provinces

    According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, flooding had affected 240,583 hectares of agricultural crops across 14 provinces as of 16 October 2026.

    Sources: reliefweb.int — ReliefWeb flood update: Cambodia, 26 October 2026

  5. — Storm Champi brings rain and thunderstorms to Cambodia

    Storm Champi, the 30th storm of the year, brought rain and thunderstorms to 30-50% of Cambodia until 23 October 2026, according to CamboJA News and Cambodianess.

    Sources: cambojanews.com — Double Blow to Farmers: Authorities Rush to Provide Aid After Flooding Hits Provinces; cambodianess.com — Cambodian Farmers Suffer Double Blow as Floods Follow Drought

  6. — Floodwaters recede in many areas and most evacuees return

    By 31 October 2026, floodwaters had receded in many affected areas and most evacuees had returned home, though low-lying areas remained inundated, according to the World Vision situation report.

    Sources: wvi.org — World Vision Situation Report #05: flood response and typhoon warning, 31 October 2026

Open questions

  • The Asian Disaster Reduction Center reports 109,985 affected families across ten provinces as of 5 October, while the National Committee for Disaster Management reported 57,980 affected families as of 28 September — how much of the difference is due to the seven days between counts, and how much to differing methods?
  • The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reports 240,583 hectares affected across fourteen provinces as of 16 October, while the National Committee for Disaster Management reported 156,125 hectares of rice fields damaged across ten provinces as of 30 September — do the two figures measure the same crop area?
  • The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reports 4,670 hectares of wet-season rice affected in Pursat as of 17 October; how much of that is included in the 14-province total reported on 16 October?
  • Eight deaths in Battambang are reported by one outlet — have the authorities confirmed a death toll?
  • The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology expects El Niño to persist through February 2027 — what does that mean for the next harvest?
  • As of 31 October floodwaters had receded in many areas, but which low-lying areas remained inundated and for how long?

Source registry

  1. reliefweb.int — ReliefWeb flood update: Cambodia, 26 October 2026; humanitarian; 2026-10-27
  2. reliefweb.int — World Vision Situation Report #5: Flooding response as of 31 October 2026; humanitarian; 2026-11-06
  3. wvi.org — World Vision Situation Report #05: flood response and typhoon warning, 31 October 2026; humanitarian; date not supplied
  4. wvi.org — World Vision Situation Report #01: flooding after Storm Surigae, 3 October 2026; humanitarian; date not supplied
  5. cpp.org.kh — Prime Minister Hun Manet Pledges Non-Stop Emergency Relief and Post-Disaster Recovery for Flood Victims; official_position; date not supplied
  6. news.angkortimes.com — PM Hun Manet Pledges Continued Emergency Relief and Recovery as Floods Affect 120,000 Households; news; date not supplied
  7. cambodianess.com — Flooding Damages Over 150,000 Hectares of Rice, but Food Security Remains Stable; news; date not supplied
  8. cambodianess.com — Cambodian Farmers Suffer Double Blow as Floods Follow Drought; news; date not supplied
  9. cambojanews.com — Double Blow to Farmers: Authorities Rush to Provide Aid After Flooding Hits Provinces; news; date not supplied
  10. cambodianess.com — Natural Disasters: 79 People Dead, 18,000 Rice-Field Hectares Destroyed Since January; news; date not supplied
  11. ifrc.org — Cambodia 2026 Unified Plan (UPL-2026-MAAKH002); primary_document; date not supplied
  12. phnompenhpost.com — Over 36,000ha of Rice Fields in Banteay Meanchey Inundated; news; date not supplied
  13. mekongindependent.com — Drought, Floods and El Niño Warnings Hit Northwestern Cambodian Farmers; news; date not supplied
  14. cambodianess.com — Cambodia Seeks Global Support on Climate-Driven Displacement; news; date not supplied

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