Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Cambodia's dead number rises to 375 in water festival stampede

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The total number of dead in water festival stampede rose to 375 and the injured increased to 755 as millions of Cambodians celebrated the annual water festival in the capital Phnom Penh, the Bayon TV announced on Tuesday.

The TV also reported that according to the information received from the families, there are still five people missing.

These people were killed in stampede accident took place Monday nigh on a bridge that connecting the city with Diamond Island which has become the center of celebration of annual water festival.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made three speech in Bayon TV after the accident, saying he was shocked to learn with the large death toll happened at Kok Pich (Dimand) Island on the last day of Water Festival, that is, after the successful event. He expressed his condolence to all relatives and the victims.


Meanwhile, he urged the doctors to do their best to save the injured people and ordered the concerned sectors to carry fall-out investigations of the cause.

While there is no clear finding of the cause of the accident, a special committee has been set up to investigate this horrific accident.

Sar Kheng, deputy prime minister and minister of interior led a delegation to Koh Pich (Diamond) Island to see the victims site.

Sok An, minister of Council of Ministers, held an urgent meeting Monday night among Phnom Penh Authorities.

The real cause of the accident was not available so far. But some said that the bridge was broken may be one of the causes, and some also said a girl got fainted among the crowd and spurred the turmoil, while some maintained that gangsters fought may be also the cause.

Cambodia's Water Festival or boat race, starting from Nov. 20 to 22, is the largest annual festival in the country, around two million Cambodians, especially, those from rural areas are coming to the city to enjoy the regatta.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't tha only five people missing, it will bw more

Kulen Monorom said...

Your Royal Highness Samdech Ta,

Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen,


Thank you for your both kindness and understanding.

What we need is prevention method, not to let this type of accident happen again in future.

It also make me very worry to see so much alcohol allowed to enter or produced in our beloved Kingdom of Cambodia? What about “ YA BA “ from Thailand? Can Samdech Ta and Samdech Hun Sen stop all sort of drugs coming to Cambodia? The accident may not related to drugs and alcohol but just some thing that I could not sleep peacefully from now to the future in the name sake of Khmer citizen.

May almighty God Jesus Christ accept all the victim souls into heaven too.

My condolences to all the victim's family.

Regards,

Kulen Monorom
(The rice farmer's son)

Anonymous said...

why the cops sprinkling water onto the stampede which is the eklectricity wire can easily kill people. Are the cops received any instruction of killing people and is a plan of someone to do so?????

Anonymous said...

Innocent people especially the youth wanted to join happily during the national festival, but the plan to kill them arose from someone who has ready organised for the illiterated and silly cops to conduct. This is the illiterated government.