On Friday evening, a lightning bolt struck a group of visitors sheltering near the central temple at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. The incident killed three people and injured several others. Emergency teams quickly arrived and took the wounded to nearby hospitals. Videos from the scene showed ambulances rushing to help and people carrying those hurt.
Officials confirmed on Monday that the three people who died were Cambodian nationals. Some injured visitors arrived at hospitals with visible wounds. Despite media interest, authorities have not shared detailed information about the victims or the exact events. Neither the Angkor Wat administration nor regional health officials responded to media requests.
The Cambodian government asked citizens to remove social media posts about the incident. Tourism Minister Hout Hak said these posts could harm Cambodia’s tourism and public image. The Cambodian Red Cross said it gave aid to two families, one of a 34-year-old man and one of a 52-year-old woman, but declined further comments.
Angkor Wat draws about 2.5 million tourists yearly and is an important symbol of Cambodia. The site is part of a 400-square-kilometer area and includes former Khmer Empire capitals. Cambodia recently opened a new $1.1 billion airport near Siem Reap, funded by China, to support tourism. About 10,000 families were moved from the heritage zone, a decision criticized by human rights groups who questioned if the relocations were voluntary.
UNESCO warned that these moves might affect Angkor Wat’s status as a protected World Heritage Site. The organization expressed concern about how the resettlements could impact the site’s preservation.