Lao PDR: Floods and Landslides - Oct 2020

Heavy rain has been affecting southern Laos, and central-eastern Thailand since 6-7 October, due to the passage of tropical storm LINFA on 9-12 October, triggering floods that have resulted in casualties and damage. In Laos, around 900 families were reported affected throughout the southern Province of Savannakhet. (ECHO, 12 Oct 2020)

As of 22 October, in Savannakhet province, 125 villages with nearly 30,000 people, have been affected. In the province’s Sepon district alone, 40 villages with nearly 1,000 households have been flooded. (ECHO, 22 Oct 2020)

As of 20 October 2020, nine districts in three provinces were affected by the floods. The affected provinces are Salawan, Savannakhet and Sekong. As of 20 October 2020, another tropical storm, tropical storm Saudel, is traversing through Philippines and the East Sea following similar path as the previous three weather systems. This tropical storm may cause more rainfall in Lao PDR as well and will possibly exacerbate the floods in the area. 163 villages in the three provinces, with an estimated 10,637 households (69,764 people) were affected. Savannakhet is the worst affected province. There are 135 villages with more than 10,000 households affected in the province. In Sekong province, almost 2,000 people are affected. Salawan province reported less than 300 people affected but had a total of 2 deaths reported in Salawan province. (IFRC, 22 Oct 2020.)