WHILE Phnom Penh was relatively free of stray gunfire during the Khmer New Year,

celebrations in Kampot province ended in tragedy when the Khmer Rouge attacked a

group of holiday-makers.

About 30 guerrillas launched a surprise attack on Cambodian tourists - most of them

residents from the capital - at a scenic waterfall.

At least one person died and several vehicles were destroyed at Toek Chhou waterfall,

about 10km from Kampot town about 8:45am April 16, according to police and taxi drivers.

An elderly woman was hit in the stomach by shrapnel from a rocket fired by the guerrillas,

a senior Ministry of Interior official said.

She was later pronounced dead at a Kampot hospital, according to taxi drivers who

drove witnesses back to Phnom Penh later that day.

"The Khmer Rouge came from the surrounding hills and opened fire when people

were swimming in the stream. They burned six cars and smashed the windows of several

others," said one taxi-driver.

"The people told me that they were held at gunpoint and robbed of their jewelry,

watches, money and so on," he said. Another taxi-driver said: "One man

in my car had nothing left on him but a pair of shorts."

He was told by his passenger that police guarding the entry to the waterfall also

fled along with the civilians.