Villagers Scared After Elephants Destroy Crops & Property

Mondulkiri Province: Several wild elephants on January 4, 2021 invaded and destroyed crops, causing people to live in Pak commune Nhay and Yatung communes in O’Yadao district, Ratanakkiri.

Sim Lin, deputy governor of O’Yadao district, said the herd of more than 15 wild elephants was active in Pak Nhay and Yatung Na communes at night. They are said to be aggressive and they have destroyed crops, eaten rice and destroyed the villagers’ belongings.

The deputy district governor said that after receiving such reports, he led the armed forces, including the district military, district police and environmental forces to intervene.

The deputy district governor confirmed that the wild elephants in the Oryadao district national park number about 40 to 50. After requests from local people to deploy the armed forces, the Administrative Unity Command of the district decided to deploy two forces across Yatung commune in cooperation with locals to watch out for these herds so both people and the animals do not come into conflict.

Representatives of people living in Yatung commune said that every 5 to 6 days, the herd of wild elephants always comes to their village. They destroyed 10 huts, 59 sacks of rice, 10 cashew trees, machinery and other items.

The same villagers confirmed that due to the activities of the wild elephants above, they requested the competent authorities and relevant institutions to chase them back in the forest to prevent the risk to them while traveling at night, such as taking sick and pregnant women to the health center. KBN