Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith postponed a regular meeting with other senior officials to Sanamxay to direct rescue and relief efforts for flood victims, according to Lao commune news. In the photo is the location of the dam break.
The broke of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam occurred on July 23, causing flooding in 6 surrounding villages in Sanamxay district.
Affected villages include: Yai Thae, Hinlad, Mai, Thasengchan, Tha Hin and Samong.
The incident left hundreds of people missing and more than 1,300 families (about 6,600 people) homeless.
The attapeu provincial government has called on the Party, government organizations, the business community, cadres, police, military and people of all walks of life to participate in emergency support for the victims of the dam break.
This emergency assistance includes: Clothing, food, drinking water, medicine, cash and other relief supplies.
The broken dam is being built by the Namnoy Pian-Xe energy company, also known as PNPC, with an estimated value of 1.2 billion USD.
PNPC was established in 2012, a joint venture company between Laos, Thailand and South Korea.
The dam has a capacity of 410 megawatt, expected to start operating in 2019, with the goal of exporting 90% of electricity output to Thailand and providing the rest to the locality.
