by Nguon Sovan, Mao Pengfei
PHNOM PENH, Jan 6 (NNN-XINHUA) – Death toll in the collapse of a six-story building in southwest Cambodia’s Kep province on Friday, rose to 36, as rescue had completed, Cambodian Prime Minister, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, said on Sunday.
“A total of 36 people, including 14 females, were pronounced dead, as 23 others, including eight females, were injured in the collapsed building,” he said.
All victims were Cambodians, and among them were a male-contractor, construction workers and their family members, including children.
Hun Sen expressed his deepest sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured people.
He said, families of the victims who died received 52,500 U.S. dollars each, and those who were injured got 10,000 dollars each.
According to the provincial authority, more than 1,000 rescuers, including Chinese experts, have taken part in the rescue efforts.
Some 14 excavators, three crane trucks, two bulldozers, 10 ambulances, five firetrucks, and more than 10 dumper trucks have been used to remove the debris.
Hun Sen said, the rescue operation took 43 hours and 20 minutes, explaining that, it was necessary to proceed carefully to ensure that the diggers would not harm people trapped under the rubble.
Hun Sen highly praised the rescuers, particularly the Chinese friends, for their active involvement in humanitarian activities.
“I’d like to thank the experienced Chinese experts, who are working in Preah Sihanouk province, for coming to help us rescue victims here,” the prime minister said.
“I also asked them (Chinese experts) to help train Cambodian forces, in order to improve their rescue capacity,” Hun Sen said.
The Chinese embassy in Cambodia expressed its profound condolences to the families of the dead and wished the injured people a speedy recovery.
The embassy said that representatives of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (CCCC)’s branch in Preah Sihanouk province, visited the site, brought donations and expressed condolences to the victims and their families.– NNN-XINHUA
