Laos just reports 17 dead victims from Ketsana, while welcoming emergency aid

(KPL) The latest report from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare disclosed yesterday that Ketsana had killed 17 people, caused one missing, injured 91 others and affected at least 178,000 people.

Meanwhile hundred thousands of victims of the tropical storm Ketsana need more emergency assistance such as rice, drinking water, medicine, temporary shelter, schools, household utensils and others.

The Lao government’s poverty reduction strategy plans, which are projected to be basically achieved by 2015, seem to face prolongation by the recent tropical storm Ketsana Typhoon.

In collaboration with the UN, foreign embassies, representatives of international organisations, non-government organisations( NGOs), state and private organisations, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare held an emergency meeting on 22 October at Vientiane’s Novotel Hotel to give information on the damage of the tropical storm, which hit five southern provinces from 29 September to 5 October 2009. The meeting was a venue to discuss possibilities of relief and mobilisation of funds for victims of Ketsana.

During the meeting, Prasith Detphommatheth, Director General of the Social Welfare Department, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, reported that after the destructive sweep of the storm in five southern provinces of Laos, namely Attapeu, Saravane, Sekong , Savannakhet and Champassak provinces, at least 17 people died, 91 injured, one has gone missing, 27,836 household affected, 9,602 displaced. The damage has also been made to 4,085 hectares of rice fields,, 19,506 hectares of crop fields, killed 551 buffaloes, 1,948 cows, 2,032 pigs and 11,748 poultry. Besides, 32 schools, three local hospitals, 14 irrigation facilities and roads were damaged completely.

Now the Lao government has provided at least 100 billion kip for victims of Ketsana. Meanwhile the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare have mobilised more than 3 billion kip from companies, international and private organisations. However, the damage of the storm may need hundred thousands of billions kip to restore the basic infrastructure, schools, agriculture, hospitals as well as treatment of injured people, said Mr Prasith.

A press release disclosed yesterday during the meeting that on 16 October 2009 the UN Disaster Management Team issued a Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) appeal, under the rapid response window, for over US$ 3 million to help victims of Ketsana, 19 October the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) issued a Flash Appeal for US$ 10 million.

On the same day, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare disclosed that out of 178,647 people affected, 115,000 or 64%, need more food. Their food stock is estimated to tide over for three months. 15,000 households need rice seeds. Now 21,300 primary school pupils and 579 teachers have been affected because their schools, education materials have been destroyed and clothes lost.

Laos is one of least developed countries in the world, with a population of over 6 million. The majority of land is mountainous. Throughout the country, there are 47 poor districts.

KPL Lao News Agency
October 23, 2009