A tragic incident occurred at Cambodia's famous Angkor temple complex when a large tree, uprooted during a heavy rainstorm, fell on a vehicle, killing one and injuring three. The unfortunate event took place on Tuesday afternoon at the southern entrance of Angkor Thom, a place very close to the most famous temple, Angkor Wat. Both are part of the same archaeological complex in Siem Reap, a northwestern province roughly 200 miles from the capital, Phnom Penh.
The Angkor complex is Cambodia's top tourist attraction, attracting more than half a million international visitors in the first half of this year alone, according to the country's Ministry of Tourism. The tree fell on a tuk-tuk, a three-wheeled motorized vehicle popular in South and Southeast Asia, killing the driver instantly and injuring all three passengers, one seriously. This information was confirmed by the provincial administration of Siem Reap.
The falling tree also damaged several statues on the balustrade of the Tonle Oum gate. The Apsara National Authority, the government body responsible for the archaeological park, shared images of the fallen tree obstructing the temple's entrance on its official Facebook page. The agency later confirmed that the tree had been cleared and the entrance was once again open to the public.
Covering approximately 155 square miles, the Angkor site is home to the ruins of several Cambodian empires dating from the 9th to 15th centuries. It is considered one of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia by scholars.
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