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dam-l LS: Three drown after vietnam dam opened
> Copyright 2000 Agence France Presse
> Agence France Presse
>
> March 4, 2000, Saturday 3:04 AM, Eastern Time
>
> HEADLINE: Three Cambodians drown, farms submerged, after Vietnam dam
> opened
> DATELINE: PHNOM PENH, March 4
>
> At least three people drowned and hundreds of farms were sumberged
> in northeastern Cambodia after a dam in neighboring Vietnam was opened
> accidentally, reports said Saturday.
> Kham Khoeun, governor of remote Ratanakiri province, said three
> districts along the Se San River, which flows into the country from
> Vietnam, were underwater, and that farms, livestock and fisheries had
> been destroyed.
> "Until now the water is still here and it is seriously affecting
> people living in three districts along the river," he was quoted as
> saying in the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper.
> He said at least three people drowned when the river burst its banks.
> "The fisheries and those who make a living from them have been badly
> affected," the governor added of the waterway which is a tributary of
> the Mekong River.
> Secretary of State for Agriculture Chan Tong Yves said it was unclear
> why the dam was opened earlier this week and called for the Mekong
> River Commission, of which Vietnam and Cambodia are members, to look
> into the situation, according to the Cambodia Daily.
> Red Cross officials here told AFP they were ready to provide
> assistance to the province, but had yet to assess the extent of the
> damage.
> Many parts of rugged Ratanakiri province are accessible only by air,
> or through roads in Vietnam. Communication is difficult and there are
> few telephone lines.
> de/dab
>