Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Four children latest victims to drowning in Kampong Thom

Four children latest victims to drowning in Kampong Thom

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Mother cried after her children drowned in a lake while using a boat to pick lotus fruit in Sambor commune’s Cheay Sampov village. POLICE

Four children latest victims to drowning in Kampong Thom

In the first six months of this year, eight children drowned in Kampong Thom province’s Prasat Sambor district, mostly due to “parents or guardians’ negligence”.

May Vun, chief of administration at the district hall in charge of disaster management, told The Post on June 27 that the eight – four boys and four girls – were aged 4 to 13.

“Most of the children who died were in the care of their grandparents,” he said.

He said the district’s disaster management commission had offered support to the families of the deceased, even though they were not listed as victims of a natural disaster. The Cambodian Red Cross sub-branch in the district had also offered condolences, in the form of rice, money and other materials.

Vun said authorities had constantly reminded parents to keep their eyes on their children around water, and to be careful of fire hazards.

District police chief Khuth Vuthy said that on June 25 alone, four children – three girls and a boy – drowned in a lake while using a boat to pick lotus fruit in Sambor commune’s Cheay Sampov village.

He identified the girls as 12-year-old Chit Raksmey and 13-year-olds Phan Sokchoeun and Phoeun Channa; and the boy as Run Ratha, 12. They all lived close to the lake.

Vuthy said the four were among seven students who visited the lake as they had no classes that afternoon. There, they saw the boat and dared each other to ride it. One boy decided to remain onshore.

The boy then saw the boat capsize and immediately went for help. He ran almost 1km before he found a motorcyclist who alerted the authorities.

“The youngest boy stayed on land. He called for help when he saw the boat turn over, but no one was around. He ran to get help, but due to the distance he had to cover an hour passed before assistance arrived. When adults arrived, they found the four drowned children,” he said.

He noted that two of the six on the boat knew how to swim and thus survived the accident.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • PM urges end to ‘baseless’ international Ream base accusations

    Prime Minister Hun Sen urges an end to “baseless” foreign accusations surrounding the development of the Kingdom’s Ream Naval Base, as the US has consistently suggested that the base is being expanded to accommodate a Chinese military presence. Hun Sen renewed his calls while

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.