PHNOM PENH, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Three villagers died in northeast Cambodia's Ratanakiri province on Wednesday after consuming homemade rice wine, which was suspicious of containing "high levels of methanol," a local health report said.

The incident occurred in Yasom village in Bakeo district's Soeung commune after the victims drank rice wine that was probably adulterated, said the report from the Ratanakiri Provincial Health Department's Emergency Response Team.

The dead included two men and one woman, aged between 54 and 78, the report said, adding that two others were hospitalized in the case.

"The victims had developed symptoms such as abdominal pain, cough, breathing difficulty, and eye irritation," the report said.

It added that adulterated wine's samples were collected for a lab test.

The Ratanakiri Provincial Information Department reported that soon after the tragic incident, Ratanakiri Provincial Governor Nhem Sam Oeun ordered authorities to temporarily close all local rice wine distilleries, pending the wine's lab test result.

Rice wine is popular in rural areas in the Southeast Asian country due to its cheap price. Enditem

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