Seven missing after Huaphan landslide
Seven people are missing and two children were injured in the early hours of Saturday when a landslide struck in Viengxay district, Huaphan province, after more than two days of rain. District Governor Phonsouk Inthavong told Vientiane Times on Monday that the landslide took place in Hindam village at 3 am on Saturday, engulfing two houses and sending them into a river below.
“Seven people, three of them women, are still missing. Two boys aged 5-7 were injured. We are now working with over 60 soldiers and police to find the missing persons but it’s difficult because power to the village has been cut and the road is blocked,” he said.
Some social media reports claim that 11 people are missing, but the official number is seven.
“Six villages in Viengxay district have also been affected by flash floods but no houses were damaged and no one was injured or killed. We are continuing our inspections and assessing the damage to farmland,” Mr Phonsouk said.
Flooding has struck more areas after the recent heavy rain. Two villages in Paek district, Xieng Khuang province, were affected by flooding. Most landslides and flash floods have occurred in the north, in mountainous regions. Motorists travelling to the northern provinces are advised to be on the alert for landslides along mountainous routes, especially on Road No. 4C between Kasy district in Vientiane province and Nan district in Luang Prabang province.
Several roads winding through mountainous terrain are now affected by landslides following two to three days of rain across the country.
Authorities in Nan district are continuing to mobilise emergency supplies to help those in need after 1,722 people were affected by floods last week.
Damage to property in the district has been estimated at over 8.4 billion kip after the Nan River overflowed on July 30 and flooded the villages of Nafai, Paphai, Simoungkhoun, Nalao, Phonhin, Sibounheuang, That and Nakhern. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed.
It has been calculated that 14.44 hectares of crops and 52.58 hectares of rice were submerged, 638 bags of rice were damaged and 2,794 poultry and 23 pigs were lost. Two roads, four bridges, five irrigation systems and 28 houses were damaged.
Local authorities provided some food, rice, drinking water, clothing, and other daily necessities to those whose homes were flooded but it wasn’t enough. Now more cash and construction equipment is needed to help people repair their houses and infrastructure.
Those interested in helping or donating household items are invited to call local authorities at the district office on 020 22350209 or 020 59205507.