These voicemails save lives
4/20/202614 min
For residents of Prek Touch, Cambodia — right on the banks of the Mekong River — flooding is a regular part of life. But as those floods worsen due to climate change, it’s getting harder to adapt. Along with other flood-prone regions throughout Southeast Asia, government officials are facing an issue: how to deliver widespread weather warnings in a timely, effective way. One solution that’s working for Prek Touch? Voicemails. Today on the show, NPR climate correspondent Rebecca Hersher explains how a simple phone alert can prompt preparation, increase evacuation, and save lives.
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First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
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Camila Domonoske· Host0:21
Hello, Short Wavers. I am NPR correspondent, Camila Domonoske, filling in as host, and today we are going on a trip with Rebecca Hersher from NPR's Climate Desk. Hey, Becky.
Rebecca Hersher· Guest0:34
Hi.
Camila Domonoske· Host0:35
So where are we headed?
Rebecca Hersher· Guest0:37
We're going to Cambodia. Hey. Specifically to the central Cambodian village of Prek Toech. It's right next to the Mekong River.
Camila Domonoske· Host0:44
And when were you there?
Rebecca Hersher· Guest0:47
So I was there in December. Uh, I visited with an NPR team that included producer Ryan Kellman and interpreter Tat Odom. And we wanted to visit this particular place because of something kind of surprising that's happening there, something related to its location, which is right next to this massive river.
Camila Domonoske· Host1:05
The Mekong River, right? One of the biggest rivers in the world.
Rebecca Hersher· Guest1:08
Yeah, yeah. And this river is everything to the people in this community. It's a fishing village. On the afternoon that we arrived, some women were fixing fishing nets. Others were cleaning the day's catch. A lot of the men who had gone out fishing really early in the morning were resting. Kids were messing around on the boats, which are, like, parked all along the edge of the river.