Heritage protection PD

 

 

After a tragic lightning strike at Angkor Wat left three dead and dozens injured, Cambodian authorities have announced plans to bolster protection across the ancient site — with a veritable forest of lightning rods soon to rise among the stone towers.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, General Tea Seiha, who now seemingly doubles as Cambodia’s chief weatherproofing inspector, visited the Angkor Archaeological Park on 17 May. Accompanied by a task force, the general strolled through the temple complex to assess where additional lightning rods should be installed — presumably while glancing nervously at the sky.

 

According to officials, many rods are already in place, but coverage remains incomplete — notably along tourist walkways where visitors tend to linger, and, tragically, where the lightning struck last week. The storm, which hit just before 5 p.m. on Friday, claimed the lives of local photographer Dop Srop and two female tourists. Their deaths have sent ripples through Cambodia’s tourism sector, which is only just regaining its footing post-pandemic.

 

The response has been swift, if slightly belated. The Apsara National Authority (ANA), which oversees the park, and local engineers have now prioritised the installation of additional protection at high-footfall temples. So yes, Angkor’s 12th-century marvels will soon be sporting 21st-century accessories — not quite the restoration work the original builders had in mind.

 

Yet, curiously, no official statement has been issued by either the ANA or the central government — though one suspects the silence is less strategic and more the bureaucratic equivalent of being caught in the rain without an umbrella.

 

Meanwhile, humanitarian support has arrived for the victims’ families. The Cambodian Red Cross delivered aid to Srop’s relatives, including rice, krama scarves, a box of noodles, and five million Riel — practical comforts for an event utterly lacking in consolation.

 

As lightning and limestone continue their uneasy dance, Cambodia’s cultural guardians are racing against the clouds. Angkor’s stones have stood for centuries. Let’s hope the new rods will help ensure its visitors can, too.

 

-2025-05-21

I think someone needs to explain to the officials how to protect from a lightning strike correctly and all about step potential.