The Department of Public Works and Transport in Bolikhamxay Province announced today that National Road No.8 will be temporarily closed until further notice due to landslides.
The closure is on an 8 km stretch in the Phu Pha Man area and a 10 km stretch in the Phu Hay area. It was caused due to heavy rains that led to flooding and landslides in some places, making the road impassable.
The Department of Public Works and Transport and the National Highway Repair Project are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. However, the closure is expected to last for several days and vehicles have been advised to take alternate routes in the meantime.
Heavy rains this year have affected and damaged roads across the country, causing inconvenience to many motorists. In one incident, a 22-wheeler vehicle was stuck at Road 13 North on the Kasi-Phou Khoun motorway. A Facebook user wondered on social media what a large vehicle was doing on a road meant for small cars and motorcycles.
Just on Wednesday, another incident happened in Sekong, in southern Laos, where a resident lost control of her car while crossing a bridge in the Kaleum district that collapsed due to rising water levels. While the woman managed to escape the situation, her car was swept away by the strong currents in the river.
Additionally, many more areas have been reported to be severely flooded and damaged, including homes, farmland, and roads, making it difficult for residents to move around.
Savannakhet province also reported heavy flooding this week that affected 130 villages and displaced over 10,000 households.
