Laos Braces for Continued Rainfall, Flooding, Authorities Issue Warnings

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Laos Braces for Continued Rainfall, Flooding, Authorities Issue Warnings
FILE: A rainy day in Laos in That Dam stupa area (photo: Nouthaphone Simmavong)

The latest report from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology forecasts moderate to heavy rain across Laos this week, advising residents to be particularly cautious of floods and landslides.

According to the report, the monsoon storm will still be covering all areas of Laos, engulfing over 50 percent of each region, bringing mild to moderate rain, strong winds, and thunderstorms across the country.

The weather forecast predicts that Vientiane Capital will observe light rain, covering 60 percent of the area, with temperatures ranging from 24-27 degrees. Strong winds and thunderstorms are also likely.

Moderate rain and thunderstorms are anticipated throughout most parts of northern Laos, notably in the Phongsaly and Xieng Khouang Provinces. The weather will continue to be pleasant, with temperatures hovering between 19 to 24 degrees.

The southern region will see comparable weather to the north, with heavy rain expected across 60 percent of the provinces; however, the temperature will be slightly warmer, varying between 23 and 33 degrees. Champasack Province has already experienced flooding this month, causing locals to flee to safer locations while wading through waist-high water.

The central region, including Vientiane Province, Bolikhamxay, Khammouane, and Savannakhet, where floods and landslides have been most frequently recorded this year, will also see a moderate to heavy downpour, along with strong winds and thunderstorms, which will cover 80 percent of the region. The temperature will be within the range of 22-29 degrees.

The report says that authorities are urging people living in the northern and central provinces, where floods and landslides have had a significant impact, to take extra precautions. In particular, they have advised people who live near the Xe Bang Fai River to closely monitor the weather, secure their possessions and livestock, and be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

Two residents of Bolikhamxay also lost their lives when they were swept by a landslide on Monday.

In response to the ongoing floods across Laos, authorities from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare arranged a relief operation on Tuesday to provide essential supplies worth around LAK 570 million to some central and southern provinces that have been badly impacted by monsoon flooding.