The injured were rushed to the nearby hospitals, and many were said to have lost consciousness. Ambulance sirens were heard in many parts of Phnom Penh soon after the accident. Some of the hospitals in the capital were filled to capacity with bodies and patients.

Sar Kheng, deputy prime minister and minister of interior, has rushed to the scene.

Cambodia's Water Festival from Nov. 20 to 22 is the largest annual festival in the Southeast Asian nation, around two million Cambodians, especially those from rural areas converged to the city to enjoy the regatta.