Lao residents are evacuated from flooded areas in Attapeu province (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - ASEAN ForeignMinisters have issued a statement on the collapse of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam in the Lao province ofAttapeu.
ASEAN member states are saddened by the lossof lives and extensive damage to property caused by flash floods triggered bythe collapse of the saddle dam of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower project in Attapeu province on July 23 due to heavy rains,said the statement. ASEAN extends its deepest sympathies to those affected.
ASEAN affirms its solidarity with theGovernment and people of Laos in this difficult time, and stands ready tosupport the flood relief efforts, including through the ongoing work of theASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management(AHA Centre), according to the statement.
On July 31, representatives of Military Corp11 under Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence handed over 1 billion VND(43,200 USD) to the Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to support localresidents affected by the dam collapse.
Earlier, MilitaryCorp 15 provided 10 million LAK (1,250 USD) to assist the victims. Meanwhile,200 people in the affected areas were given free medical examinations.
The Vietnamese Governmenthas so far donated 200,000 USD sourced from State budget reserves and 100tonnes of rice to the Lao Government in order to help the neighbouring countryovercome the aftermath of the collapse.
TheSepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam collapsed at 8:00pm on July 23, causing flashfloods that completely isolated Sanamxay district.
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said at a press conference on July 25that the dam break ravaged 13 villages and affected six others, adding that 587families with 3,060 people were made homeless, while 131 people were reportedmissing.
Lao authorities confirmed that no Vietnamese citizens were reported missingafter the disaster. Some 15 households of Vietnamese citizens living in floodedarea were evacuated to safety. -VNA
VNA
