No information related to Vietnamese citizens was reported after the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam on July 23. (Photo: Agencies) Vientiane (VNA) – No information related to Vietnamese citizens was reportedafter the collapse of the Xepian-Xe NamNoy hydropower dam in Attapeu province’s Sanamxay district of Laos onJuly 23, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos.
The embassy said it is coordinating with local authorities to verify informationrelated to 15 Vietnamese families, which are said to have been in the area affectedby the collapse.
The embassy is also keeping a close watch on the incident and will conduct citizenprotection if any overseas Vietnamese people have been involved, it said.
Representatives from the Vietnamese Consulate General in Pakse also travelled toAttapeu to update the information concerning Vietnamese expats there.
By the afternoon of July 25, local authorities had not officially releasedinformation on human and asset losses caused by the collapse.
The Lao Ministry ofLabour and Social Welfare canceled a press conference that was scheduled to beheld at 10:30am on July 25 at its headquarters.
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith is still in Attapeu to direct the searchand rescue work.
The local authorities and search and rescue forces are actively searching forvictims and supplying essential commodities for locals.
The same day, President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in orderedrobust measures including sending an emergency relief team to Laos to helpvictims affected by the collapse, according to the RoK Presidential Office’sspokesman Kim Eui-kyeom.
Details about measures to support Laos following the incident, including the sizeof the relief team will be confirmed at a press conference to be held later on July25 with the participation of deputy ministers of relevant bodies.
The Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam burst at 8:00pm on July 23, releasing 5billion cubic metres of water which caused flash floods in 10 low-lying villagesand completely isolated Sanamxay district. Five of Sanamxay district’s villages– namely May, Hinlath, NhaytheSanong Tay, Thasengchan, and Thahin – wereentirely submerged.
China’s Xinhua NewsAgency citied information from the Attapeu Provincial Administration Office assaying that the death toll from flash flood amounted to 19, while 49 othershave been still missing.
Meanwhile, statisticsfrom the Lao Prime Minister’s Office said 34 people have been still missing followingthe dam collapse, which also made over 1,300 families of 6,600 people homeless.
The Xepian-Xe Nam Noyhydropower plant was being constructed by the XePian-XeNamnoy Power Company(PNPC).
The PNPC is a joint venture between Republic ofKorea’s SK E&C and Korea Western Power, Thailand’s Ratchaburi ElectricityGenerating Holding, and Laos’ Holding Sate Enterprise.
The project, estimated to cost 1.02 billion USD,is the first build-operate-transfer (BOT) model to be undertaken by Koreancompanies in Laos.
On July 24, Ratchaburi Electricity GeneratingHolding issued a press release announcing that unexpected heavy rains causedthe dam to collapse.
High volumes of rainwater fractured the dam andcaused a deluge in the downstream area of Xe-Pian River, it said.
Attapeu authorities hadpreviously urged the Party, government, organisations, businesses, officials,police and military forces, and the public to provide emergency aid for thevictims of the disaster, such as clothing, food items, drinking water,medicine, cash, and other relief items.-VNA
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