Skip to main content

Lao People's Democratic Republic: Flash Floods - Emergency Plan of Action Operation Update n° 5 - Appeal n° MDRLA005

Countries
Lao PDR
Sources
IFRC
Publication date
Origin
View original

A. Situation analysis

Description of the disaster

The collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam on 23 July 2018 as a result of Tropical Storm Son Tinh that had made land fall days earlier, has caused massive flash floods that affected 13,100 people and displaced 6,000 people, leaving 39 dead and around 97 missing (according to UN Situation Report no. 9).

Following Son Tinh was the Tropical Storm Bebinca which hit the country only weeks after. According to UN Information Bulletin No. 5, all provinces in Lao PDR have been affected, including 2,382 villages, 126,736 households, and 616,145 people. 1,779 Houses are destroyed and 514 damaged. 90,000 ha of paddy fields and 11,000 ha of other plantations have been destroyed, and 630 km of roads and 47 bridges have been damaged, report says. According to the findings from the ongoing Post-Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) conducted by Laos’ Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, and facilitated by the UN, World Bank, and the EU, total damage reportedly added up to US$ 147 million, while the total loss added up to US$ 225 million. The most affected sectors overall are agriculture and transport, which contribute to 90% of damages and losses. The most affected provinces are Vientiane Capital, Khammouane, Huaphanh and Attapeu.

Attapeu is most affected per capita. As the floods have increasingly affected also other parts of the country, the Humanitarian Country Team has enhanced the Disaster Response Plan by expanding the focus of the operation from Emergency Plan of Action Operation Update Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Flash Floods Attapeu to cover the entire country. The Lao Red Cross will be responding according to the original plan. This Emergency Appeal operation remains to be focusing on Attapeu flash flood response and recovery.