The Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam collapsed at 20:00 on July 23, releasing 5 billion cu.m of water which caused flash flooding in 10 villages in lower areas and completely isolated Sanamxay district. (Source: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) – Vietnam’sHoang Anh Gia Lai JSC has hired a helicopter to bring its 26 workers out of theflooded area after the collapse of the Xepian-Xe NamNoy hydropower dam in the Lao province of Attapeu.
The workers have been isolated in Paksongdistrict in Champasak province which borders Attapeu to the east. They areexpected to be evacuated in the morning of July 25.
Nguyen Nhat Hoa, Director of Dai ThangCompany – a subsidiary of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, said on July 25 that the workers,including 25 Laotians and one Vietnamese, are safe and very happy when learningthat they will soon be rescued.
No Vietnamese casualties have beenreported so far in the flooding. Five workers of a Vietnamese sawing factory inthe affected area also escaped.
According to local authorities, 18 bodieshad been found while about 200 people are still listed as missing following thedam collapse.
The Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower damcollapsed at 20:00 on July 23, releasing 5 billion cu.m of water which causedflash flooding in 10 villages in lower areas and completely isolated Sanamxaydistrict. Five out of Sanamxay district’s villages, namely May, Hinlath, NhaytheSanongTay, Thasengchan and Thahin, have been entirely submerged.
The plant, which has a capacity of 410 MW, is being constructed by theXePien-XeNamnoy Power Company (PNPC).
The PNPC is a joint venture between SK E&C, Korea Western Power, RatchaburiElectricity Generating Holding and Lao Holding Sate Enterprise.
The project, which is estimated to cost 1.02 billion USD, is the firstBuild-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project to be undertaken by the Korean companiesin Laos.
On July 24, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating HoldingPcl of Thailand issued a press release announcing that unexpected heavy rainscaused the dam to collapse.
High volumes of rainwater fractured the dam and caused a deluge in thedownstream area of Xe-Pian River, it said.
Attapeu province’s authorities hadpreviously urged the Party, government organizations, business community,officials, police and military forces and people of all strata to provideemergency aid for the victims of the disaster, such as clothing, food items, drinkingwater, medicines, cash and other relief items.-VNA
VNA
