Two sisters drowned in a rice field on Sunday afternoon after falling into a steep-sided hole dug by farmers to hold water in Prey Veng’s Svay Anthor district.

Mom Lorn, Pean Rong commune police chief, said that sisters An Vanlida, 15, and An Kunthear, 14, from Prey Chrang Village had gone out looking for crabs in the rice paddy with their neighbour, 14-year-old Sat Chakrya.

“Because it was so hot, around 3pm, they went to the huge hole to swim and to get water spinach for their mother to cook; unfortunately, when they were walking, they slipped into the deep water and drowned,” he explained, adding that the hole was 3 to 4 metres deep.

Chakrya managed to survive, Lorn continued, because she was spotted by nearby children who called for help.

“We grabbed the grass and water spinach and screamed for help from the children minding the cows. When I woke up, I saw my parents and I saw the parents of Lida and Kunthear, as well as the villagers sitting and standing around crying, calling their names, and at that moment, I realised that they had passed away,” Lorn said, quoting Chakrya.