A landmine killed six people and maimed one man after the group ran over it riding in a homemade tractor in Preah Vihear’s Choam Ksan district on Wednesday night.

The sole survivor is being treated for serious injuries in hospital, Choam Ksan district police chief Has Yuth said.

“The incident happened while the seven victims were riding in a homemade tractor back home after farming about seven kilometres away from their home,” Yuth said. “Their tractor ran over an anti-tank mine.”

The area is former Khmer Rouge territory, said Chum Savin, a deputy commune police chief.

Heng Ratana, director general of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre, a demining organisation, yesterday said CMAC planned on expanding its mine-clearing areas.

About 60 cases of landmines killing or injuring people occurred in the first half of 2013, he added, a decrease from the same period in 2012.