Lone Rider
Blokes Who Can
Floods after heavy rains in Laos
Champassak: Champassak province is experiencing flooding for the second time this month after the Mekong River rose above the danger level on Thursday morning. The Mekong River had risen above the danger level in Champassak province on Thursday morning. Some eight districts of the province, which flooded last Friday, are now expected to be inundated again after river levels began rising again. The Mekong River began overflowing into low lying areas when it reached 11.8 metres in the province after heavy rains.
“We think that many villages and thousands of rice fields will be inundated,” an official from the provincial Natural Resources and Environment Department Mr Khamlan Keoboupha told Vientiane Times yesterday. Last week hundreds of dwellings in many villages and over 6,000 hectares of farmland were flooded in eight districts of Champassak after the Mekong rose to 11.66 metres. Soukhouma district experienced the most serious flooding of all, with flash flooding and inundation of low lying areas in some 37 villages. One child was reported to have drowned in a river in Soukhouma district after following his father into the river while he was checking his gill nets. Four people were also reported missing in Pakxe district after a fishing boat capsized on the Mekong River on Tuesday. One person drowned while three other fishermen managed to make it to shore.
The Mekong River at Pakxe seen from the restaurant area along the Mekong
Flooding in Moonlapamok District
The river receded to about 11.45 metres between Sunday and Monday but it began rising again to 11.65 metres on Tuesday and 11.75 metres on Wednesday, Mr Khamlan said. He added that the extent of the damages in the wake of flooding on August 1-2 had yet to be assessed when river levels began to rise again. According to the provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department, over 6,000 hectares of young rice seedlings planted recently in Champassak province have been submerged since the heavy rains on Friday last week and are likely to die if the water levels do not recede this week.
Vang Vieng: Local authorities reported on Wednesday that one person in Vangvieng district has disappeared after heavy rains this week whereafter the Nam Xong river flooded. Several guesthouses have been inundated. Meanwhile a road link to a focus area for development in Vangpho village (north east of Vang Vieng) was cut after a landslide blocked access to the village.
Guesthouses inundated by the Nam Xong River
Savannakhet Province: Several areas in Champhone district of Savannakhet province have now become flooded after three days of heavy rain. The water level of Sechamphone River reportedly rose by 8.23 meters at 10:00 AM of 6 August 2014 which flooded the farmland and roads in several villages. The roads that were experiencing floods included the road from Kangkok to Taleo to Xonboury district which the flooded water level was 40 centimeters and the motorbike users cloud not pass this road by now. Mr. Sithon Thatalath, Chief of Champhone district said that the flooding was caused by heavy raining over the past several days and this was the third time of flood occurred in Champhone district. According to Mr. Sithon, more than 70-80% of the farmland areas were damaged by this flood, of which 4.000 ha is a rice fields of people in 60 villages.
Saravane Province: More than 4,600 families in 59 villages across Khongsedon district, Saravane Province are under water following prolonged rainfall, between 18 July and 4 August, according to the Information, Culture and Tourism Department of Saravane Province. Over 24,000 people were reportedly affected from the flooding which left over 6,000 ha of rice farmland, over 360 ha of other cash crop farmland, and 268 fishing ponds inundated. The flooding also caused damage to other public infrastructure mainly roads.
Luang Prabang Province: Phonsay district in Luang Prabang province was reportedly flooded unprecedentedly on 5 August and main road and a main concrete bridges access the district were cut off. Pakya village has been the hardest hit by the flash flood where 30 houses are under the water and four houses have been badly damaged. Presently, district authorities and officers have been encouraged to build temporary shelters for flood victims and after repairing the road and bridge.
Sources: Vientiane Times and KPL News
Champassak: Champassak province is experiencing flooding for the second time this month after the Mekong River rose above the danger level on Thursday morning. The Mekong River had risen above the danger level in Champassak province on Thursday morning. Some eight districts of the province, which flooded last Friday, are now expected to be inundated again after river levels began rising again. The Mekong River began overflowing into low lying areas when it reached 11.8 metres in the province after heavy rains.
“We think that many villages and thousands of rice fields will be inundated,” an official from the provincial Natural Resources and Environment Department Mr Khamlan Keoboupha told Vientiane Times yesterday. Last week hundreds of dwellings in many villages and over 6,000 hectares of farmland were flooded in eight districts of Champassak after the Mekong rose to 11.66 metres. Soukhouma district experienced the most serious flooding of all, with flash flooding and inundation of low lying areas in some 37 villages. One child was reported to have drowned in a river in Soukhouma district after following his father into the river while he was checking his gill nets. Four people were also reported missing in Pakxe district after a fishing boat capsized on the Mekong River on Tuesday. One person drowned while three other fishermen managed to make it to shore.
The Mekong River at Pakxe seen from the restaurant area along the Mekong
Flooding in Moonlapamok District
The river receded to about 11.45 metres between Sunday and Monday but it began rising again to 11.65 metres on Tuesday and 11.75 metres on Wednesday, Mr Khamlan said. He added that the extent of the damages in the wake of flooding on August 1-2 had yet to be assessed when river levels began to rise again. According to the provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department, over 6,000 hectares of young rice seedlings planted recently in Champassak province have been submerged since the heavy rains on Friday last week and are likely to die if the water levels do not recede this week.
Vang Vieng: Local authorities reported on Wednesday that one person in Vangvieng district has disappeared after heavy rains this week whereafter the Nam Xong river flooded. Several guesthouses have been inundated. Meanwhile a road link to a focus area for development in Vangpho village (north east of Vang Vieng) was cut after a landslide blocked access to the village.
Guesthouses inundated by the Nam Xong River
Savannakhet Province: Several areas in Champhone district of Savannakhet province have now become flooded after three days of heavy rain. The water level of Sechamphone River reportedly rose by 8.23 meters at 10:00 AM of 6 August 2014 which flooded the farmland and roads in several villages. The roads that were experiencing floods included the road from Kangkok to Taleo to Xonboury district which the flooded water level was 40 centimeters and the motorbike users cloud not pass this road by now. Mr. Sithon Thatalath, Chief of Champhone district said that the flooding was caused by heavy raining over the past several days and this was the third time of flood occurred in Champhone district. According to Mr. Sithon, more than 70-80% of the farmland areas were damaged by this flood, of which 4.000 ha is a rice fields of people in 60 villages.
Saravane Province: More than 4,600 families in 59 villages across Khongsedon district, Saravane Province are under water following prolonged rainfall, between 18 July and 4 August, according to the Information, Culture and Tourism Department of Saravane Province. Over 24,000 people were reportedly affected from the flooding which left over 6,000 ha of rice farmland, over 360 ha of other cash crop farmland, and 268 fishing ponds inundated. The flooding also caused damage to other public infrastructure mainly roads.
Luang Prabang Province: Phonsay district in Luang Prabang province was reportedly flooded unprecedentedly on 5 August and main road and a main concrete bridges access the district were cut off. Pakya village has been the hardest hit by the flash flood where 30 houses are under the water and four houses have been badly damaged. Presently, district authorities and officers have been encouraged to build temporary shelters for flood victims and after repairing the road and bridge.
Sources: Vientiane Times and KPL News
