#Ammunition #Explodes #Kills #Soldiers
Jakarta –
Ammunition explosion at a military base in Cambodia killed 20 soldiers. Based on the results of the investigation, the heat wave that enveloped the Southeast Asia region played a role in the deadly explosion.
As is known, most countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia are being hit by a heat wave. Cambodia itself has struggled with extreme hot weather in recent weeks.
Local authorities warned on Sunday (28/4) local time that temperatures could reach 43 degrees Celsius in some areas, although rain and colder weather were expected in the coming days.
Reported by AFP, Thursday (2/5/2024), the results of the investigation were conveyed by the Cambodian Ministry of Defense. The ammunition explosion that occurred on Saturday (27/4) destroyed all parts of the ammunition transport truck and leveled the surrounding buildings.
Several other soldiers and one child in a rural area in Kampong Speu Province were injured. Investigators believe a heat wave played a role in the explosion of an old weapon at the military base.
“The ammunition explosion incident on April 27, 2024… was a technical problem due to the weapons being old, worn out and the weather being hot,” Cambodia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
However, it was not explained further about the specific problem or how heat might have contributed to the deadly explosion. Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense also rejected suggestions that the explosion was orchestrated by rebel soldiers or was an act of terrorism.
Deadly incidents involving ammunition are not uncommon in Cambodia. Moreover, it is known that the Cambodian territory is littered with ammunition, mines and remains of unexploded ordnance from civil conflicts over the past decades.
Such incidents are exacerbated by lax safety standards.
Following the explosion west of the capital Phnom Penh, images posted on social media showed destroyed one-story buildings shrouded in smoke, and residents of nearby villages also shared online photos of shattered windows.
Several other photos showed what appeared to be civilians, including a small child wearing a diaper, suffering injuries and being treated at a local hospital. An office building and barracks near the explosion site were also destroyed, and 25 houses around the location were also damaged.
Prime Minister (PM) Hun Manet said the families of the dead would receive US$ 20,000 (Rp. 323.8 million) each, while the injured soldiers would receive US$ 5,000 (Rp. 80.9 million).
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