Thousands left homeless after collapse of Laos dam

RESCUERS were searching yesterday for scores of villagers missing after part of a newly built hydroelectric dam broke in south-eastern Laos, flooding the surrounding countryside and killing at least 24 people, officials said.

Thousands lost their homes when the South Korean-built dam gave way on Monday, flooding surrounding villages.

“The water came so quick, we just left the house and ran away,” said Phon Vuongchonpu, whose family of 12 fled as the floodwater rose to roof level.

“We’ve lost everything: motorbike, furniture, our cows and pigs.”

Bounyong Phommachak, a Red Cross official, said 24 bodies had been recovered and 96 people were officially listed as missing. He said about 6,600 people had been displaced.

Xinhua, China’s state news agency, which maintains one of the few foreign news bureaus in Laos, reported that Thongloun Sisoulith, Laos’s prime minister, said that 131 people were missing and the homeless totalled 3,060.

‘The water came so quick, we just left the house and ran away. We’ve lost everything: our cows and pigs’

The discrepancies in the tolls could be due to difficult communications and heavy rains in the area which have hampered rescue efforts.

One of five auxiliary earth-fill dams at the project began visibly weakening on Friday, said Korea Western Power, one of two South Korean partners in the hydroelectric project.

SK Engineering & Construction, the other Korean partner, said the situation worsened on Monday as water cascaded out of the reservoir, flooding seven out of 12 villages in the area. It was helping to evacuate and rescue residents and sent its president and a team of 30 people to the disaster zone.

Continued heavy rain and forecasted strong winds could hinder rescue efforts, and risks from flooding persisted in the mountainous region.

Provincial authorities issued a call for emergency aid, and residents in Paksong were streaming to the evacuation shelter bringing food, as doctors attended to those needing help.

The International Red Cross said food was a concern because village food supplies were drenched in the flooding. It was arranging for water purification units to be sent to the area to ensure supplies of clean drinking water.

South Korea said President Moon Jaein had ordered an emergency relief team to help with the disaster.