Five dead, 18 hospitalized after drinking contaminated water in Cambodia: police (UPDATE 11 died)

[geovalin]

PHNOM PENH, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Five villagers had died and 18 others hospitalized in eastern Cambodia's Kratie province after drinking contaminated water, a local police official said Saturday.

 

The incident occurred at an indigenous people's village in Chitborey district since Thursday, said Om Phy, deputy police chief of Kratie province.

"Two men and three women were confirmed dead on Friday and 18 others had been admitted to hospital after they reportedly drank water from a canal in the village," he told Xinhua.

 

He said the victims had the same symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, vomit, stomachache and eye irritation.

 

According to Om Phy, it was suspected that the water was contaminated with insecticide that farmers used on their crops planted along the canal.

"It's just the start of rainy season, and there is rain these days, I suspect that rain water has flown insecticide from the farms into the canal," he said.

 

Om Phy said a sample of the water in the canal had been sent to a health laboratory in Phnom Penh for examination, and the result was unavailable yet.

 

source http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/05/c_137157752.htm

 

 

 

[geovalin]

Eleven dead from tainted water in Kratie

 

Kratie provincial authorities yesterday distributed clean water to villages where at least 11 people have died and more than 100 others have been hospitalised since Thursday after drinking tainted water from the Prek Ter canal and rice fields in Chetr Borei district’s Kantuot commune. Provincial Governor Va Thorn said yesterday that so far 11 people have died and more than 120 others have been hospitalised after they drank water suspected of being contaminated with insecticides.

 

“Eleven people have died so far, of whom four are men, and 121 other people, including children and elderly people, are receiving treatment at the referral hospital and provincial hospital. About eight who were in serious condition were sent to Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh,” he said. “I just came back from the village. We sent health officials and armed forces to guard and help the people in the villages where many people are sick and have died.”

Children in the village also got poisoned from drinking tainted water from a canal.

Mr Thorn said that he also ordered the delivery of two fire trucks of water and two trucks of fresh water to be distributed to villagers. Police and local authorities have also used loudspeakers to inform villagers to stop using or drinking water that they took from the canal, he said.

 

read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50487017/eleven-dead-from-tainted-water-in-kratie/

 

 

-- © Copyright Khmer Times 07/05

 

[thaigirlwatcher]

I hope the government puts in a proper well for them. So sad. 

[Happyman58]

Its a wonder it has not happened in Thailand yet. I went for a walk at the local park this morning and there is this little creek running behind the park. The amount of rubbish and pollution in that creek is disgusting. Maybe the local authorities should go down there and move the Thais who are living on the creek bank away. Pigs live better than they do. See lots of men laying in hammocks there doing nothing just scream out the word "WORK" and watch them scatter

[thaigirlwatcher]

Here's a thought. California addressed the problem of plastic bottle recycling decades ago. They charge a 5 cent recycling fee on every plastic drink bottle. Supermarkets will then refund the same amount for every bottle that is recycled. There are enough poor people in Thailand that some would actively search out plastic bottles for a few baht. What's to loose by giving it a try? The status quo is a mess, literally.