Lao provincial officials given public holiday as cold weather strikes
The governor of Phongsaly province in Laos' extreme north has announced a three-day holiday after freezing weather hit the provincial capital this week.
The holiday will run from Monday to Wednesday and will be extended if the temperature stays below 5 degrees Celsius, according to the provincial Administration Office.
However, officials in some government departments such as the police, defence and public health are working as normal.
Cold weather hit the province at the weekend with the provincial capital experiencing heavy frost, power outages and traffic difficulties, Director of the provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department, Santi Keonhasane, told Vientiane Times yesterday.
The low temperatures also killed a lot of poultry but the department has not received any information about livestock deaths, in particular buffaloes and cattle, from local authorities.
A heavy frost has blanketed the capital for the last couple of days, causing some trees to fall down, and a large number of families are staying at home as conditions outside are difficult, said Santi.
The low temperatures are also making life difficult for motorists with some cars refusing to start and drivers having problems on icy roads. Newly planted crops such as pumpkins and long beans have also been affected, he added.
The temperature yesterday was recorded at -1.5C, which was lower than on Monday, according to the Meteorology and Hydrology Department.
Huaphan and Xieng Khuang provinces are also struggling with similar conditions, including frost, wind and rain.
The power went off at 9am in Xamneua district, Huaphan province, after heavy rain. The cut lasted until the afternoon, slowing the work of government staff and office workers.
Some organisations were unable to collect information on the prevailing conditions and their effects because of the cold, according to Santi.
Flights between Vientiane and Oudomxay province were cancelled from Sunday to Tuesday. Flights on other northern routes between Vientiane and Luang Namtha, Bokeo and Xieng Khuang provinces are still operating but there have been some delays due to poor weather.
To ensure that children stay well, the Minister of Education and Sports announced that schools in Vientiane and the provinces would close at the start of the second semester next week if temperatures stay as low as they are at present.
Most schoolchildren are on holiday this week after finishing their end-of-semester exams last week, but some kindergartens, mostly private, are not taking a holiday.
Temperatures in some areas were lower yesterday but had risen in other places, the Meteorology and Hydrology Department noted.
