Who to blame, China or Pathet Laos for not preparing for the flood.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/22...ocked-laos.html
Full Version: Big flood in Viengchan since 1966.
The Mekong River has swollen to levels not seen since 1966, causing floods in Bokeo, Xaignbouri and Vientiane provinces that are likely to last all week, Lao media reports said Wednesday. "Damage from the floods, which have already inundated thousands of hectares of agricultural land, has been severe," said Radio Laos in a broadcast monitored in Bangkok.
The state-run radio did not provide more details on the flood damage but other reports suggest the flood waters have reached record levels in the land-locked communist country.
"Water levels at stations upstream from Chiang Saen to Nong Khai are presently higher than the levels at the same period of the year 1966, which is considered as the worst flood year in over 100 years," said a bulletin issued by the MRC Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Centre.
"In particular at Vientiane the current level is the highest level since 1923," it added.
The Mekong River defines the border between Thailand and Laos. Flooding is common in south-east Asia during the monsoon season, which starts in May and lasts until October.
The state-run radio did not provide more details on the flood damage but other reports suggest the flood waters have reached record levels in the land-locked communist country.
"Water levels at stations upstream from Chiang Saen to Nong Khai are presently higher than the levels at the same period of the year 1966, which is considered as the worst flood year in over 100 years," said a bulletin issued by the MRC Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Centre.
"In particular at Vientiane the current level is the highest level since 1923," it added.
The Mekong River defines the border between Thailand and Laos. Flooding is common in south-east Asia during the monsoon season, which starts in May and lasts until October.
Yeah I heard that there was a big flood in Laos.
Here's the clip.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=N0JD9biXAL4
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fdmrcF6_Y-c
I heard that there was a big flood in Luang Prabang too. hope every one is ok.
Hope everything is alright.
Chinese dams might have something to do with it. This year we got so much rain, and Chinese opened their gates to release the excessive water. Well all major Lao cities get affected, cause all of them are laying next to the mekong.
When this kind of flood happens there will be a lot of problems with cleaning up the mud from your house and streets and big damages caused by it on the whole country. Particularly, millions of dollars will be needed to repair the roads that are damaged during their submersion under the water for days while cars and trucks keep running on and damaging them. And don't forget the crops that are destroyed since most rice are grown on the lands along the Mekong valleys, and then a higher crop price that follows. This can be a bad news for the economy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floodlaos/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floodroute13/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floodlaos/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floodroute13/
The rice prices is now rising among other things.
Laos should ask for intenational assistance.
Laos should ask for intenational assistance.
Big flood usually comes by every 10 years. Pathet Laos can use the right head to manage it, but NO.
if floods in laos are once in a decade event and the frequency seems to coincide with the heavy rain season
then there may be very little that we can do to prevent the flooding.
fighting against mother nature can sometimes seems futile.
probably a more pragmatic or reactive solution is to implement some kind of flood and river management policy,
a policy or plan of action that involves planning and zoning land use at the local, city and regional, and national level.
what we want to do here is have some kind of way to deal with the floods before and after the fact.
for example,
if you have a flood zone map you can manage flood risk, reduce the risk of loss,
which could help you to implement a drainage system where water pumps are placed in key areas, pumping floodwater out.
this is a good plan of action to protect people's livelihood, including infrastructure, road, electric, gas, power...
when flooding threaten the community, city, and/or region
everyone has some responsibility to minimize the loss of life and damage to property and the business.
at the individual level a person who with flood information can better prepare himself against the loss to his home and property.
build or re-build home with a higher foundation for example.
at the city or regional level there are many things the gov't can do.
the city can better implement land use, for productive farming, and building law to make land and building safer against floods.
it can build flood defense system through land resource management and water resource management like dams.
the city or region can implement better flood response service to the local population in time of need.
the big gov't, LPDR, has the awesome responsibility.
it is trusted with having a vision to prepare the country against widespread flooding and natural disaster.
it has the resource of the military to move and make things happen.
then there may be very little that we can do to prevent the flooding.
fighting against mother nature can sometimes seems futile.
probably a more pragmatic or reactive solution is to implement some kind of flood and river management policy,
a policy or plan of action that involves planning and zoning land use at the local, city and regional, and national level.
what we want to do here is have some kind of way to deal with the floods before and after the fact.
for example,
if you have a flood zone map you can manage flood risk, reduce the risk of loss,
which could help you to implement a drainage system where water pumps are placed in key areas, pumping floodwater out.
this is a good plan of action to protect people's livelihood, including infrastructure, road, electric, gas, power...
when flooding threaten the community, city, and/or region
everyone has some responsibility to minimize the loss of life and damage to property and the business.
at the individual level a person who with flood information can better prepare himself against the loss to his home and property.
build or re-build home with a higher foundation for example.
at the city or regional level there are many things the gov't can do.
the city can better implement land use, for productive farming, and building law to make land and building safer against floods.
it can build flood defense system through land resource management and water resource management like dams.
the city or region can implement better flood response service to the local population in time of need.
the big gov't, LPDR, has the awesome responsibility.
it is trusted with having a vision to prepare the country against widespread flooding and natural disaster.
it has the resource of the military to move and make things happen.
Canal through the city might slow down the power of the Mekong from hitting hard on Viengchan.
http://www.snowlion.com/uploads/Vientiane.jpg
http://www.snowlion.com/uploads/Vientiane.jpg
Authorities will today finish building a 2.5-metre high wall of
sandbags to protect central Vientiane from the rising Mekong River.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floodlaos
Construction of this wall was initiated to protect the city as
forecasters predicted the river level could rise to 14.2m on Saturday.
This prediction was revised yesterday and the river is no longer
expected to rise to 14m in the capital. The work will be completed
anyway.
Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh yesterday visited Bo-O and other
flooded villages in Vientiane .
The Vientiane Flooding and Drought Prevention Committee's Secretariat
Head, Vilasack Nammounty, said the level of the Mekong River remained
at 13.65m between 11am and 1pm yesterday. But it had risen to 13.68m
by 3pm.
“You know, the water in Luang Prabang province is going down so it may
reach Vientiane tomorrow or the day after,” he told Vientiane Times
yesterday.
According to the department, the river will rise to 13.85m today in
Vientiane and decrease to 13.72m tomorrow. It will still be above the
danger level of 12.5m.
“We will try as hard as we can to avoid the water flooding our
capital, so we will not stop building the 2.5m sandbag wall,” Mr
Vilasack said.
“After we finish building that wall we will wait and see what the
situation is like.”
On Wednesday night, almost 100 people from the Ministry of Information
and Culture were assigned to work overnight building a sandbag wall
near the Mekong River Commission, including Vientiane Times staff.
Some houses and offices have built their own sandbag walls as
protection against flooding.
The riverside has been filled with people coming to see the level of
the river and police have blocked riverside roads to make it easier
for trucks delivering sand.
Some residents, especially those living near the riverbank, feared the
water level would increase, spill over the sandbag wall and flood
their houses.
Vientiane experienced its worst flooding in 1966. That year the water
level was just over 12m, but the banks of the river were not
reinforced to prevent flooding like they are now.
By Vientiane Times
(Latest Update August 15, 2008)
sandbags to protect central Vientiane from the rising Mekong River.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floodlaos
Construction of this wall was initiated to protect the city as
forecasters predicted the river level could rise to 14.2m on Saturday.
This prediction was revised yesterday and the river is no longer
expected to rise to 14m in the capital. The work will be completed
anyway.
Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh yesterday visited Bo-O and other
flooded villages in Vientiane .
The Vientiane Flooding and Drought Prevention Committee's Secretariat
Head, Vilasack Nammounty, said the level of the Mekong River remained
at 13.65m between 11am and 1pm yesterday. But it had risen to 13.68m
by 3pm.
“You know, the water in Luang Prabang province is going down so it may
reach Vientiane tomorrow or the day after,” he told Vientiane Times
yesterday.
According to the department, the river will rise to 13.85m today in
Vientiane and decrease to 13.72m tomorrow. It will still be above the
danger level of 12.5m.
“We will try as hard as we can to avoid the water flooding our
capital, so we will not stop building the 2.5m sandbag wall,” Mr
Vilasack said.
“After we finish building that wall we will wait and see what the
situation is like.”
On Wednesday night, almost 100 people from the Ministry of Information
and Culture were assigned to work overnight building a sandbag wall
near the Mekong River Commission, including Vientiane Times staff.
Some houses and offices have built their own sandbag walls as
protection against flooding.
The riverside has been filled with people coming to see the level of
the river and police have blocked riverside roads to make it easier
for trucks delivering sand.
Some residents, especially those living near the riverbank, feared the
water level would increase, spill over the sandbag wall and flood
their houses.
Vientiane experienced its worst flooding in 1966. That year the water
level was just over 12m, but the banks of the river were not
reinforced to prevent flooding like they are now.
By Vientiane Times
(Latest Update August 15, 2008)
The Vientiane Flooding and Drought Prevention Committee's Secretariat
Head, Vilasack Nammounty @$$ need to be checked.
Head, Vilasack Nammounty @$$ need to be checked.
Evert 2-4 Years in Jakarta there will always be a big flood.....in some areas up to 6 metres high......You guys are still considered lucky. Just my 2 cents worth.
QUOTE(Bounthy @ Aug 19 2008, 08:47 AM) 
Oh $hit .
QUOTE(DutchEastIndiesMan @ Aug 19 2008, 08:53 AM)
Evert 2-4 Years in Jakarta there will always be a big flood.....in some areas up to 6 metres high......You guys are still considered lucky. Just my 2 cents worth.
2-4. years is little bit too much.
QUOTE(tinko @ Aug 15 2008, 09:42 PM)
if floods in laos are once in a decade event and the frequency seems to coincide with the heavy rain season
then there may be very little that we can do to prevent the flooding.
fighting against mother nature can sometimes seems futile.
probably a more pragmatic or reactive solution is to implement some kind of flood and river management policy,
a policy or plan of action that involves planning and zoning land use at the local, city and regional, and national level.
what we want to do here is have some kind of way to deal with the floods before and after the fact.
for example,
if you have a flood zone map you can manage flood risk, reduce the risk of loss,
which could help you to implement a drainage system where water pumps are placed in key areas, pumping floodwater out.
this is a good plan of action to protect people's livelihood, including infrastructure, road, electric, gas, power...
when flooding threaten the community, city, and/or region
everyone has some responsibility to minimize the loss of life and damage to property and the business.
at the individual level a person who with flood information can better prepare himself against the loss to his home and property.
build or re-build home with a higher foundation for example.
at the city or regional level there are many things the gov't can do.
the city can better implement land use, for productive farming, and building law to make land and building safer against floods.
it can build flood defense system through land resource management and water resource management like dams.
the city or region can implement better flood response service to the local population in time of need.
the big gov't, LPDR, has the awesome responsibility.
it is trusted with having a vision to prepare the country against widespread flooding and natural disaster.
it has the resource of the military to move and make things happen.
then there may be very little that we can do to prevent the flooding.
fighting against mother nature can sometimes seems futile.
probably a more pragmatic or reactive solution is to implement some kind of flood and river management policy,
a policy or plan of action that involves planning and zoning land use at the local, city and regional, and national level.
what we want to do here is have some kind of way to deal with the floods before and after the fact.
for example,
if you have a flood zone map you can manage flood risk, reduce the risk of loss,
which could help you to implement a drainage system where water pumps are placed in key areas, pumping floodwater out.
this is a good plan of action to protect people's livelihood, including infrastructure, road, electric, gas, power...
when flooding threaten the community, city, and/or region
everyone has some responsibility to minimize the loss of life and damage to property and the business.
at the individual level a person who with flood information can better prepare himself against the loss to his home and property.
build or re-build home with a higher foundation for example.
at the city or regional level there are many things the gov't can do.
the city can better implement land use, for productive farming, and building law to make land and building safer against floods.
it can build flood defense system through land resource management and water resource management like dams.
the city or region can implement better flood response service to the local population in time of need.
the big gov't, LPDR, has the awesome responsibility.
it is trusted with having a vision to prepare the country against widespread flooding and natural disaster.
it has the resource of the military to move and make things happen.
Implement a drainage system where water pumps are placed in key areas, pumping floodwater out.
I like this one. Good idea and project for Lao governments to plan some kind of drainage system around the major cities like: Vieng Chan, Luang Prabang, Pakse, ect. I don't know if Savanhket ever have a flood before.
Thart Luang marsh serves as the natural drainage system.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.