A collection of houses and other structures belonging to nine families living alongside a canal in the capital's Russey Keo district was destroyed yesterday by a large group of men sent by local authorities. The Beung Salang villagers had been previously told to vacate a zone within 15-20 metres of the 3-kilometre-long Bak Touk canal to make way for dredging project City Hall plans to undertake, district officials said The 30-man operation, which involved an excavator and chainsaws, destroyed more than one dwelling along with an outhouse, a henhouse and other sections of villagers' homes.