Flood Damage In Laos Costs Millions Of Dollars

Hard to say how this will affect my work in the fall...

VIENTIANE, LAOS, Aug 22 (The Vientiane Times) - The recent floods in Laos have inflicted damage worth hundreds of billions of kip (millions of dollars), destroying farmlands, irrigation systems, roads, schools and houses, according to unofficial reports.

The total cost of flood damage has yet to be officially confirmed because the government is still collecting information from provincial authorities.

But initial reports reveal extensive damage throughout the country.

In six of Vientiane 's nine districts the cost of flooding has already reached about 148 billion kip (US$78.5 million). This figure does not include damage to Sikhottabong and Xaysettha districts, which authorities are currently assessing.

In Luang Prabang province the cost of flood damage is almost 100 billion kip ($11.8 million). More than 50 billion ($5.9 million) of this damage was to the transportation sector, according to provincial authorities.

In Khammuan province the value of flood damage has not yet been calculated, but authorities say it will be worth at least 31 billion kip ($3.66 million). In that province floods destroyed rice fields, irrigation systems, roads and schools.

Almost 6,000 of the total 11,884 hectares of rice fields were damaged, along with 167 hectares of other crops, 48 irrigation systems and 41 schools. Authorities are continuing to supply clean water and dry food to villagers affected by the flooding.

In Borikhamxay province, authorities estimate damage to the agriculture sector to be at least 90 billion kip ($10.6 million). Road Number 13 South was damaged as were unpaved roads which had linked villages, according to provincial flooding and drought prevention committee head Leuam Sonsyvilay.

“We haven't calculated the cost of two flood-damaged schools and a number of irrigation canals yet,” he said.

A team from United Nations agencies is visiting Laos provinces affected by flooding, according to the national disaster management office.

Office head, Khamphao Hompaya, said UN agencies including the UNDP and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation would assess the urgent needs of villagers.

He said the amount of donations had yet to be calculated and urged ministries to report donation figures to his office so that he could inform the government.

According to Khamphao, the ministry of labour and social welfare is preparing more than 300 tonnes of rice while the ministry of health has asked for 1 billion kip ($118,131) to assist flood victims.

Most provinces were able to collect information about flood damage in areas such as agriculture, transport and education, but a more extensive assessment has yet to be completed.

(By SOMSACK PONGKHAO/ The Vientiane Times/ ANN)