Lao PDR, Effects of tropical storm Son-Tinh

Update during emergency response operations = AHA Centre is providing daily Situation Update, released between 1400 - 1800 hrs (UTC +7), at the following address: https://ahacentre.org/situation-updates/ It is also available in V-OSOCC and other humanitarian platforms, for humanitarian partners consideration. ASEAN Member States are encouraged to access more information in ASEAN WebEOC. = Update as of 25 July 2018 = The Government of Lao has reported flooding in 349 villages in 41 districts in 10 provinces. The affected provinces are: Attapeu, Savanhnakhet,Khammouan, Xayabuly, Bolikhamsay, Luang Prabang, Bokeo, Sekong, Xiengkhouang and Oudomxay. In the province of Attapeu (approx. 829km from the capital Vientiane), the heavy rains contributed to the collapse of the Xepien-Xenamnoyu dam which resulted in the flooding of downstream villages and more than 1,000 families were evacuated. The Government of Lao is leading the response to the emergency and has activated the Provincial Committee on Disaster Prevention and Control with military and police assisting evacuation and search and rescue efforts with boats and helicopters. The Prime Minister has also declared Sanaxmay District in Attapeu Province a disaster area and has visited the aera on July 24, 2018 to provide relief items. = Initial report on 18 July 2018 = The Vientiane Times has reported flooding in Savannkhet caused by heavy rains based on a report from the Kaysone Phomvihane City Office. The floods are said to have affected Kaysone Phomvihane City (the capital of the province) as well as 11 villages where hundreds of homes and businesses have been damaged by the floods. No causalities or exact figures about the damage were reported. The Chinese news agency Xinhua has reported a landslide in the northern province of Phongsaly that resulted in the death of family of six whose house was in the path of the landslide. The landslide followed two weeks of rain in the region. The landslide took place in Samphan district, about 450 km from the capital Vientiane. The incident was reported on Monday by the Head of Public Security Office of Samphan district and the state-run Vientiane times. ------------------- Khammuan and Borikhamxay provincial authorities have warned villagers living along rivers to be on alert of possible flooding after tropical storm Son-tinh lashed northern and central provinces of Laos this week. The Xebangfai River has risen above dangerous levels since Wednesday (July 18)and will remain so for the coming days. “We have warned villagers in five at-risk districts to be prepared,” Director of National Resources and Environment Department of the central province of Khammuan, Mr Sikhay Khamsavath told Vientiane Times yesterday. The districts affected are Nongbok, Xebangfai, Mahaxay, Yommalath and Bualapha. Although water has swelled above dangerous levels, it has not yet overflowed the river bank, the director said, adding that the warning was issued just in case. Data from the Meteorology and Hydrology Department (MHD) showed the Xebangfai River water level in the Xebangfai Bridge area has exceeded the dangerous level of 18.50 metres since July 18. From July 18-20, water levels were measured at 18.68 metres, 18.82 metres, and 18.75 metres respectively. The MHD forecast that water levels for today and tomorrow would remain dangerous at 18.67 and 18.60 metres respectively. The tropical storm lashed Laos from July 18-20 after making landfall in Vietnam. It has caused swollen water levels in the Mekong and its tributaries including the Xebangfai River. Moving at a speed of 35 kilometres per hour, the storm brought heavy rains and strong winds. Areas at high risk from damage and possible flooding include locations across the provinces of Khammuan, Borikhamxay, Xaysomboun, Vientiane, Xieng Khuang and Luang Prabang. Authorities of central Borikhamxay province, which borders Khammuan, also warned villagers living along the San and Ngieb Rivers, tributaries of the Mekong, to be on alert for possible flooding following the risingwaters. Water levels in the rivers continued to rise yesterday and overflowed to flood low-lying areas, authorities said on the province’s website. The Mekong River water level in Pakxe City of Southern Champassak province yesterday rose to 10.11 metres close to the warning level of 11 metres. It was forecast to rise further to 10.23 and 10.37 metres today and tomorrow respectively. Pakxe is the only point where the Mekong’s water level rises close to the warning level. The dangerous level in Pakxe is set at 12 metres. In Vietnam, the tropical storm hit central and northern provinces causing floods killing two people, damaging 15 houses and thousands of hectares of crops, Vietnam News reported on Thursday.