By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh
22 April 2009
A fire in two provinces has destroyed 2,000 hectares of forest and is still burning, with authorities unable to stop it.
The fire, in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey province, was caused by villagers burning their rice fields, and hot weather and dry conditions allowed it to spread, officials said Wednesday.
“Since April 19, the fire started in Preah Neak Preah district in Banteay Meanchey, and it spread to Preak Tol district of Battambang,” Kok Elen, chief section director of the Preak Tol fishery, told VOA Khmer. “We don’t have the capability to end it.”
No person has been injured in the fire, but the blaze has so far killed 10 monkeys and five turtles, he said.
Brig. Gen. Sar Theth, chief of Battambang police, said the authorities could not reach the fire by road with trucks. “I sent three fire trucks to that area, but we couldn’t reach the place.”
The fire has also destroyed 10 artillery shells at a former Vietnamese storage facility, he said.
Um Sakhon, governor of Ek Phnom district, Battambang, said Wednesday that commune officials there were trying to mobilize villages to beat the fire back with brooms, sticks and water buckets.
The fire, in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey province, was caused by villagers burning their rice fields, and hot weather and dry conditions allowed it to spread, officials said Wednesday.
“Since April 19, the fire started in Preah Neak Preah district in Banteay Meanchey, and it spread to Preak Tol district of Battambang,” Kok Elen, chief section director of the Preak Tol fishery, told VOA Khmer. “We don’t have the capability to end it.”
No person has been injured in the fire, but the blaze has so far killed 10 monkeys and five turtles, he said.
Brig. Gen. Sar Theth, chief of Battambang police, said the authorities could not reach the fire by road with trucks. “I sent three fire trucks to that area, but we couldn’t reach the place.”
The fire has also destroyed 10 artillery shells at a former Vietnamese storage facility, he said.
Um Sakhon, governor of Ek Phnom district, Battambang, said Wednesday that commune officials there were trying to mobilize villages to beat the fire back with brooms, sticks and water buckets.
5 comments:
Should charge that individual for his crime. 2000 hectares???
OMG! no wonder they never get rain.
KhmerPP,
hey, stop destroy the forest, this is not the amazon jungle, you know!
When something like this happen, I don't think Cambodia equips itself to fight off the fire. This is very sad to see the natures being destroyed by human being every day.
KhmerBattambang,
oh! my god, the new year is not good...
the grass people are poor, the border is in war, now the forest is burned...
nothing we can say about the natural disaster,,,only can it can test the government responding to a scene.
I am extremely, really shocked to hear and see that. Who is to blame on this? Whoever, the impacts will never cast on anybody else but rural people in the areas themselves.
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