Angkor Wat ruins on shaky ground

Source: Al Jazeera

Cambodia's famous temple ruins under threat of collapse due to over-consumption of water.

The famous temple ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia are under the threat of being destroyed as a dwindling supply of water due to over-consumption weakens the nine-centuries-old structures' grounds.

Aela Callan reports from Siem Reap, Cambodia on the problem that stems from a high demand for water to meet the requirements of more than one million tourists who visit the country every year.

Angkor archaeological park is one of Cambodia's most beloved destinations, the solid stone ruins of Angkor sit atop a huge reservoir of underground water.

For centuries this water has kept the sandy soil firm and the monuments steady, but as tourists flood to these temples, the water has been used to supply the rapidly expanding tourist city of Siem Reap.

The crowds are literally sucking the ground out from under Angkor Wat and its temples, with potentially dire consequences.

The stone is already cracking under the strain of water being drained from the earth.
Experts are seeing the towers move before their eyes.

If the Government still use underground water, in the future, the momument can be subsided and collapse.

Al Jazeera's Aella Callan reports from Cambodia.