Cambodian Villagers Blame Mekong Collapse on Sand Dredging
On the evening of Feb. 18, an embankment on the Mekong River in Kandal province’s Preah Prasop commune collapsed suddenly, taking a home and three people with it. The following day, villagers who gathered to survey the damage said that illegal sand dredging had caused the cave-in. Photos: RFA Khmer Service
Villagers gather at Preah Prasop commune to examine the collapsed Mekong River embankment.
A resident takes a photo of the caved-in riverbank.
Villagers survey the damage.
Debris from a house submerged in the river.
Villagers search the river for the bodies of the three missing people.
A villager’s home sits precariously on the edge of the collapsed embankment.
Police rope off the scene where the three people are believed to have drowned during the collapse.
Villagers hold a Buddhist ceremony to pray for the three people presumed dead.
A map showing Preah Prasop commune in Cambodia's Kandal province.