Death toll reaches 30 in dam collapse in southern Laos

VIENTIANE, Aug. 4 — Another four bodies have been recovered, bringing the death toll of the flooding caused by a dam collapse in southern Laos to 30, Lao rescue authorities announced on Saturday.
Rescuers retrieved a body from Ban Mai Village and three from South Thahin Village on Saturday, Phalom Linthong, deputy director general of the General Political Department (GPD) told a press conference in Sanamxay District of Attapeu Province, which was broadcast live by Lao National Television online.
Mai and Thahintai are among the six most severely-affected villages in the flooding.
Phalom added that among the four bodies retrieved, two were children.
He also mentioned that the rescue work still relied on man power and authorities faced the risk of sinking into the deep mud now covering the disaster-hit area.
Ounla Xayasith, deputy governor of Attapeu Province, said a rescue team with advanced equipment will join the Lao military personnel in the rescue operation starting from Sunday.
Ounla also mentioned that the government is trying to make price stable in Sanamxay as many people now live there.
They didn’t mention the number of the missing and according to figures released Friday, 101 people remain missing.
An under-construction saddle dam of the Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower project, invested by South Korean, Thai and Lao companies, collapsed on July 23, unleashing a large amount of water and hitting some 13 villages of Sanamxay district. – XINHUA