Flooding in Attapeu (Source: EPA) Hanoi(VNA) - Flooding caused by the recent storms inLaos has left at least 46 dead, 97 missing and four injured, according to thecountry’s National Disaster Prevention and Control Committee.
Some82,460 families with 236,188 people in 79 districts of 14 provinces wereaffected by floods after tropical storms Son Tinh and Bebinca broughttorrential rain from the middle of July to the middle of August.
Asmany as 11,383 people have been displaced and now live in temporary shelters.About 120 schools have been damaged, posing a big challenge to the country asthe new school year will begin on September 1.
Over 62,900ha of rice fields and nearly 42,000ha of vegetables have beenflooded, 208 irrigation systems have been destroyed, and thousands of livestockand poultry have died. Many roads and bridges have also been damaged.
Meanwhile,an assessment of losses is still underway in Sanamxay district, Attapeuprovince where Sepian Senamnoy hydropower dam collapsed. Lao officials said sixout of the 13 affected villages were completely wiped out by the flood.
Thanksto the ongoing support from various sectors, friendly countries andinternational organisations, a considerable quantity of relief supplies havebeen distributed to those in need, said the committee.
FromJuly 24 to August 17, over 15 million USD was donated as relief aid for victims.
Accordingto the committee, Laos is in urgent need of tents, toilets, electricity, cleanwater, food and medicine.
Authoritiesin charge said they have encountered difficulties in transporting reliefsupplies from warehouses in Vientiane, Attapeu and Champassak to temporaryshelter centres amid continuous heavy rainfall that cut off roads, damagedbridges and covered Sanamxay district in deep mud.-VNA
