Death toll from contaminated water in Cambodia rises to 6, 52 hospitalized: police

PHNOM PENH, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from drinking contaminated water in Eastern Cambodia's Kratie province has risen to six as 52 others hospitalized, a local police official said Saturday evening.

The incident occurred at an indigenous people's village in Chitborey district on Thursday, said Om Phy, deputy police chief of Kratie province.

"One more victim was pronounced dead this afternoon at the hospital, bringing the number of the dead to six," he told Xinhua, adding that the dead were two men and four women.

Besides the dead, he said that 52 others had been admitted to hospital, and three of them were in severe condition.

The villagers fell ill and died subsequently after they reportedly drank contaminated water from a canal in the village, he said, adding that the victims had the same symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, vomit, stomach ache and eye irritation.

Om Phy said it was suspected that the water was contaminated with insecticide that farmers used on their crops planted along the canal.

"It's just the start of rainy season, and there is rain these days, I suspect that rain water has flown insecticide from the farms into the canal," he said.

He said a sample of the water in the canal had been sent to a health laboratory in Phnom Penh for examination, and the result was unavailable yet. Enditem