VFF President extends sympathy over Laos’ dam collapse
Tran Thanh Man, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, on July 25 sent a message of sympathy to President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Xaysomphone Phomvihane over the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in the Lao province of Attapeu on July 23.
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The collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam caused flash flooding in 10 villages in lower areas and completely isolated Sanamxay district. (Source: Attapeu Today)
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The disaster has left at least 18 dead and about 200 people missing, and made over 1,300 families with 6,600 people homeless.
The Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower plant is being constructed by the XePian-XeNamnoy Power Company (PNPC).
The PNPC is a joint venture between Republic of Korea’s SK E&C and Korea Western Power, Thailand’s Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding and Lao Holding Sate Enterprise.
The project, estimated to cost US$1.02 billion, is the first Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) one to be undertaken by Korean companies in Laos.
On July 24, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding issued a press release announcing that unexpected heavy rains caused the dam to collapse.
High volumes of rainwater fractured the dam and caused a deluge in the downstream area of Xe-Pian River, it said.
