Cambodia: World Vision responds to stampede tragedy

World Vision is supporting hospitals "overwhelmed" with injured people following a stampede at a festival in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.

At least 378 people have died and hundreds more are in need of medical attention following the stampede at the country's annual Water Festival on Monday night.

The survivors of the stampede – which happened on a river bridge connecting one of the sites of the festival with Phnom Penh – are suffering from crush and water inhalation injuries.

Eyewitnesses reported that hundreds of festival-goers were crushed to death as panic set in on a short suspension bridge. Others drowned as they tried to escape.

Medical support

World Vision is providing medical supplies and meals to survivors and their families in overburdened local hospitals.

“The scale of this tragedy has overwhelmed the government hospitals," said World Vision's Esther Halim in Cambodia.

"Our staff have visited the hospitals and what they saw was very distressing. People were lying in the corridors waiting for treatment and many distraught relatives were looking for their loved ones.

“Some people were crushed to death under four or five layers of people during the stampede,” she added.

Ms Halim met with Cambodia's Minister of Social Affairs, Ms Ith Sam Heng, this morning. The minister is responsible for coordinating the response.

23 November 2010