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Agence France-Presse

Cambodia’s defence ministry said on Thursday a blistering heatwave roiling Southeast Asia played a role in an ammunition explosion that killed 20 soldiers at an army base over the weekend.
The blast – which destroyed an entire truck of munitions and levelled buildings – also wounded several soldiers and at least one child in rural Kampong Speu province on Saturday.
The defence ministry said on Thursday that investigators believed the heatwave played a role in the old weapons detonating.
“The incident of the ammunition explosion on April 27, 2024 … was a technical issue because the weapons are old, faulty, and the hot weather,” the ministry said in a statement.
It did not explain the specific issue or how the heat may have contributed to the explosion.
The ministry also rejected suggestions that the blast was down to rebellious soldiers or an act of terrorism.
‘Very dangerous’: Thai heat index tops 52 degrees amid Philippines’ power woes
Deadly munitions accidents are not uncommon in Cambodia, which is awash with ammunition, mines and unexploded ordnance leftover from decades of civil conflict.
Such incidents are exacerbated by frequently lax safety standards.
Like much of South and Southeast Asia, Cambodia has been struggling with hot weather in recent weeks.
Authorities warned on Sunday that temperatures could reach 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, although rain and cooler weather were forecast in the coming days.


Following the blast west of the capital Phnom Penh, images posted on social media showed a destroyed one-story building wreathed in smoke, with residents of a nearby village also sharing images online of broken windows.
Other photos showed what appeared to be civilians, including a young child in a diaper, with cuts and gashes being treated in hospital.
An office building and nearby barracks were destroyed, and 25 nearby homes were also damaged.
Prime Minister Hun Manet said the families of those killed would receive roughly US$20,000 each, while injured soldiers would get US$5,000.


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Cambodia

Cambodia says scorching heat played a role in ammunition explosion at army base that killed 20 soldiers

A military truck was damaged following an explosion at an army base in Cambodia’s Kampong Speu province on April 27. Photo: AFP

Hot weather kills 30 in Thailand as heat index hits ‘extremely dangerous’ level

Tourists shield themselves from the sun with umbrellas outside Wat Pho Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: AFP

In the Philippines, it’s ‘so hot you can’t breathe’ as  heat index touches 47 degrees Celsius

A woman uses a hand fan to cool herself during a hot day in Manila last week. Sweltering temperatures in the Philippine capital have forced many schools to switch to remote learning. Photo: Reuters

Filipinos take a dip in the Norzagaray River, the Philippines’ Bulacan province, earlier this month. March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest months in the archipelago nation, but conditions this year have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon. Photo: AFP

A worker unloads an ice block at a public market in Manila on another hot day in the Philippines earlier this month. Photo: Reuters

Southeast Asia heatwave shuts Philippine schools, boosts power demand in Thailand, as Myanmar bakes in 48 degree weather

Students use a cardboard to protect themselves from the sun during a hot day in Manila. The Philippines announced it will halt in-person classes at public schools amid a crippling heat wave. Photo: AFP

Power lines suspended above a street during high temperatures in Bangkok. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy has been bracing for hotter-than-normal days due to the El Nino weather pattern that’s forecast to last until June. Photographer: Bloomberg

A woman walks with a cold drink under an umbrella along a street on a hot day in Yangon. Myanmar recorded its hottest ever April temperature of 48.2 degrees Celsius. Photo: AFP

A man showers with a hosepipe during hot weather in Manila on Sunday. The Philippines will suspend in-person classes in all public schools for two days due to extreme heat. Photo: AFP

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Asia

Southeast Asia

The defence ministry said investigators believed the heatwave was a factor behind the old weapons detonating in Kampong Speu province last week
Like much of South and Southeast Asia, Cambodia has been struggling with hot weather in recent weeks


The defence ministry said investigators believed the heatwave was a factor behind the old weapons detonating in Kampong Speu province last week.


Extreme weather

Weather