This house and a shop were displaced when the swollen Mekong River weakened the riverbank. - VT
VIENTIANE: Houses and shops were dislodged after days of heavy rainfall eroded a section of the Mekong riverbank in Yaihuayxaitai village, Bokeo province, while in other areas of the province the Mekong burst its banks and flooded riverside communities.
Farmland, livestock and houses were all affected, according to the Bokeo television station.
On Monday (Sept 16), the river level fell rapidly, dislodging a large section of the riverbank in Huayxai district and causing houses and shops to slide down as the unstable ground was washed away.
Many provinces across the country have suffered landslides, flooding and road subsidence in the wake of Typhoon Yagi, which has caused extensive damage in the north of Laos.
Hundreds of houses have been flooded and large numbers of people are in desperate need of clothing, food, and clean water.
Local authorities are working hard to meet the most urgent needs of the flood victims and have deployed a team to provide immediate relief to those in most need.
The government, the business community and members of the public are rallying round to provide assistance and help with the flood recovery effort, especially in Luang Namtha province, which was hit by widespread flooding and landslides last week.
Provincial authorities are helping to move people from their flooded homes to dry ground, but medicine, clothing, food, drinking water and boats are all urgently needed to support the rescue effort. - Vientiane Times/ANN
