 |
| A crowd of Cambodians are pushed onto a bridge on the last day of celebrations of a water festival in Phnom Penh on Monday. Thousands of people celebrating a water festival on a small island in a Cambodian river stampeded Monday evening, killing at least 190. (Heng Sinith / AP) |
2010-11-22
By SOPHENG CHEANG
The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Thousands of Cambodians celebrating a water festival on an island in a river in the capital stampeded Monday night, leaving at least 339 dead and many more injured. As the panic grew, the crowd tried to flee over a bridge, and many fell over its sides into the water.
Ambulances raced back and forth between the river and the hospitals for several hours after the stampede, while onlookers and relatives waited outside the medical facilities. Many of the injured appeared to be badly hurt, raising the prospect that the death toll could rise sharply as local hospitals could easily become overwhelmed.
Thousands of Cambodians celebrating a water festival on an island in a river in the capital stampeded Monday night, leaving hundreds dead and many more injured.
Hours after the chaos, hundreds of shoes still lay on the bridge over the Tonle Sap river and the area underneath. Searchers looked for bodies of anyone who might have drowned, and an AP reporter saw one body floating in the river.
Prime Minister Hun Sen made two live television broadcasts after midnight, giving a preliminary death toll of 181 that he later increased to 339. Authorities had estimated that upward of 2 million people would descend on Phnom Penh for the three-day water festival, which marks the end of the rainy season and whose main attraction is traditional boat races along the river.
The last race ended early Monday evening, the last night of the holiday, and the panic started later on Koh Pich — Diamond Island — a long spit of land wedged in a fork in the river where a concert was being held. It was unclear how many people were on the island to celebrate the holiday, though the area appeared to be packed with people, as were the banks.
Soft drink vendor So Cheata said the trouble began when about 10 people fell unconscious in the press of the crowd. She said that set off a panic, which then turned into a stampede, with many people caught underfoot.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith gave a similar account of the cause.
Seeking to escape the island, part of the crowd pushed onto a bridge, which also jammed up, with people falling under others and into the water. So Cheata said hundreds of hurt people lay on the ground afterward. Some appeared to be unconscious.
Cambodia is one of the region's poorer countries, and has an underdeveloped health system, with hospitals barely able to cope with daily medical demands.
Koh Pich used to host a slum community, but in recent years the poor have been evicted to make way for high-rise and commercial development, most yet to be realized.
13 comments:
I offer my condolences to the victims who died in a stampede on the bridge of Koh Pech.
From now on Koh Pich to be named as Koh Phdat-chivit.
That bridge is the symbol of 300+ hunted spirits.
Korean Estate investment Company is the the state of shock
It Bridge break or what???
Build, build, without high security. During my visite in Cambodia for two year, I have disscuss with my firend who is also bridge constructor about this bridge security, but no one have interested in it, now the day is comming. Those enginners must know exactly what will be happen now or late, Techic is different from policy, that is the result...that Khmer must more learn
I would like to express my deepest condolences to victims and the relatives for such a tragedy!
Sok Leang,
Phnom Penh
Every life is a Koun Khmer spirit secret to our motherland. I would like to share my deepest sorrow with parents and their relatives of this uncessary tragedy!
Deepest sadness to our motherland,
I wish CPP members and their families were among the dead. Our nation must be rid of traitors like them. We must bring back Sam Rainsy for a better tomorrow.
It is time to help these fellow Cambodian first.
But do not forget to prevent more Khmer from being more killed by corruption .
Koh pich brigde is not standard because of corruption .
So Koh Pich bridge is an incident .
But corruption of building Koh Pich is not an accident it is a long , long plan of Hun Sen to kill the whole Khme people and society.
This is very important to Cambodia, and the Government,
Cambodian Governtment has lacking of technical Inspection:
1-Over loaded people in Airoplan, Planes got chrashed, most of the times.
2-Over Loeaded of people in cars, motocycles and so on.
3-Now over loaded people in the Bridge, the Bridge collaped. The crowed of peeople can run over on each others, people got killed.
4. Corruption Issues, they bought cheap staff to build bridge, and building, therefore, it doesnot last long.
PLEASE PLEASE INSPECT INSPECT INCPECT TO SEE WHAT IS THE CAPACITY OF IT.
Thanks
From Red-ant.
we viet nam believe Hun Sen- CPP and the last is the KING Sihanomi did a good job and a good leaders. they are working hand in hand. They are a good leaders and good followers to our instructions.
Also thanks to all our vietnamese brothers and sisters who sacrify their family to work in all level of officials in cambodia to keep it part of viet nam.
we also want to thank His Excellency Dr. Phay Siphan, SOK Siphana and SARIN DENORA for their lips services and manipulation of international communities to support us..
Long live Viet Nam
Koh Pich bridge must change its name to corrupted bridge.
Because Koh Pich bridge is not standard becasueit is builded with corruption.
So corruption is a good weapon for Hun Sen to kill Khmer people.
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)
Cambodia is one of the region's poorer countries, and has an underdeveloped health system, with hospitals barely able to cope with daily medical demands.
Adult Magazine Zone
www.mgazine.blogspot.com
Post a Comment