The official death toll from the Nov 22 stampede on Phnom Penh’s Diamond Bridge rose again Saturday to 353 as another victim succumbed to her injuries at Calmette Hospital.
Nhim Vanda, first vice chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Management, said yesterday that 20-year-old Kas Marina died at approximately 10 am Saturday from kidney injuries sustained during the stampede.
“Now the death toll is 353 and there are 89 injured victims still at the main hospitals,” he said.
Mr Vanda said the 21 most critically injured victims were all being cared for at Calmette.
The death toll hit 352 when Saing Sokha, 22, died of his internal injuries on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, TV stations that have raised money for the families of the dead have continued distributing their funds.
Bayon TV deputy manager Huot Kheangvieng said the stations had already distributed $5,268 per person killed in the stampede to most of the families of the dead and would reach the most distant families soon. Bayon raised roughly $2 million for the stampede victims.
CTN TV deputy manager Pol Vibo said his station had raised just under $1 million and started delivering over $2,000 to the families of each dead person on Saturday. He said the station would split the rest of the money it raised among the injured.
Concluding an investigation widely considered inadequate by opposition parties and NGOs, the government said a week ago that the stampede was triggered when people on the packed bridge began to panic as the structure started to sway under their weight.
