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August 12, 2008
Wind and rain from Tropical Storm Kammuri , which affected numerous areas of Southeast Asia, has left thousands homeless in Vietnam and is causing widespread flooding in Laos. This was the fourth tropical storm to hit the area this year and affected countries are struggling to curb rising flood waters yet again with sandbags and earthen dams.
In Vietnam, Lao Cai Province is the hardest hit with 37 people dead, 18 injured, and another 38 missing. The floods have cut off some districts in Lao Cai and triggered widespread landslides, but flash floods have caused the largest number of deaths. Residents in Laos are watching the Mekong River rise above flood stage, with the possibility of it spilling into a populated, bowl-shaped valley.
Small villages line most riverbanks throughout Vietnam and Laos, and residents are dependent on the waterway as a source of transportation, food and water. These villages are most vulnerable to flash flooding, thus far the most dangerous threat to safety.
More flashfloods and landslides are expected since heavy rains are forecast to continue in the next two days, according to the Central Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Center. August and September are the heaviest months for rain in Southeast Asia, and more flooding is likely.
CWS Response
CWS staff in Laos and Vietnam are in contact with government and partner relief agencies which are responding to the storm. CWS stands ready to assist as needed.
Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
A photograph of Australian soldier Private David John Fisher stands on a table next to his medals before a repatriation ceremony for his remains was held at Hanoi's Noi Bai airport ...
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