ANGKOR WAT DAMAGED BY STORM
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[ October 25th 2000 ]

The Associated Press has reported that heavy storms have battered the Cambodian Temples of Angkor Wat, the destination of Simon West and the cast and crew of Tomb Raider who are due to begin filming in the ancient temples next month. Sodden foundations have begun to swallow some of the 800-year-old stone monuments because the constant torrant of water has not been able to drain away, and falling trees have destroyed parts of the temples, Cambodian officials have reported.

"Chea Sophat, the commander of a police unit charged with protecting the temples, said heavy rains had also weakened the foundations of the temples. "Most of the areas have been flooded for weeks, causing the land to become soft,'' he said by telephone from the northwestern city of Siem Reap. He said that only 30 percent of the temples in the Angkor complex are being preserved despite help from 10 international organizations. Among the temples damaged in the past week are Ta Prohm, a 17th century Buddhist temple and one of the largest Khmer edifices, and the Baphuon, a 10th century Buddhist temple, the officials said."

As yet there has been no word from Paramount on whether this will hinder the planned filming of Tomb Raider which is scheduled for November.