China sends humanitarian aid to Laos after deadly dam collapse

China will provide humanitarian aid to Laos following the collapse of a dam last week, China’s International Development Cooperation Agency announced Saturday.

Relief materials include 100 boats, 500 tents and 100 water purifiers.

“China will gather the supplies as quickly as possible and deliver them to the disaster area to ensure that local people get the help they need as soon as possible,” the agency was quoted by the Xinhua News Agency as saying on Sunday.

Eight people were confirmed dead while 123 remained missing after the dam collapsed, triggering a flash flood in southern Laos last Monday, an officer from the Lao People’s Army said on Saturday.

Rescue forces found one body on Wednesday, three on Thursday, three on Friday and another one on Saturday. Four out of the eight dead are children, said Khamlieng Outhakaisone, deputy director general of the General Staff Department of the Lao People’s Army, and also commander of the rescue operation.

Khamlieng said rescue forces have rescued 7,324 people from the disaster-hit area. Some 3,731 of them are now living in shelters at Sanamxay District of Attapeu Province, 1,407 are living in two other shelters outside Sanamxay, and the rest are living in several villages.

The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the Lao government attach great importance to the rescue work, and the rescue operation has been supported by different government organizations and rescue teams, both from Laos and other countries, he said.

He said from Monday to Tuesday, the floods spread quickly and swept some villagers far away.