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One of the companies responsible for the construction of the dam that collapsed Wednesday in the province of Attapeu in the south of the country, causing the death of at least 19 people, warned the authorities of damage to the structure 24 hours before the incident.
According to SK Engineering & Construction, a South Korean construction company, as soon as the authorities were informed of the damage to the dam on Sunday night (local time), an evacuation order was issued for the population of most vulnerable areas. near. "We immediately alerted the authorities and the inhabitants of nearby villages began to be evicted from their homes," reads the statement issued by the company and quoted by the South China Morning Post newspaper (19659003). he would not have avoided the tragedy that was to follow. At least 19 people have died and more than 3,000 are still to be saved following the collapse of the dam under construction in the Xe Pian and Xe Namnoy Rivers on Monday.
According to a United Nations report on the incident, more than 11,000 people were affected in 357 localities. At least two dozen homes were destroyed and over two hundred houses and fourteen bridges were damaged by the floods.
According to the construction company, several attempts have been made to repair the damage in the dam, but heavy rains during these hours will have made the job difficult. On Monday, the water was released from the dam to try to relieve pressure, which would not prevent the structure from collapsing. SK Engineering & Construction said it sent a rescue team to the site, as well as helicopters and boats. The authorities are also using helicopters and boats to rescue missing persons or people still trapped on the roofs of their homes.
Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of the country, was on hand to accompany relief operations and speak with the victims. Although the worst has apparently disappeared, the next few days are hard for the population to predict because of the rain and strong winds in the area.
The dam in question, located near the border of Cambodia, is built from 2013 by SK Engineering & Construction in collaboration with a company from Laos, a Thai and South Korean construction company. It is estimated that the costs are about 855 million euros.
It is not the only dam under construction in Laos, on the contrary – dozens are being built at this time in a country that exports most of its hydroelectric power to neighboring countries, including Thailand
A number of environmental groups have warned of the environmental and human risks posed by the uncontrolled construction of dams. Last year, another dam collapsed in a northern province, Xieng Khuong, causing floods that affected several villages and threatened lives.
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