[Tlc] L-floods

[justinm at ucr.edu]

FYI. Dara Kanlaya, scholar of Lao literature, recalls history of Vientiane flooding.
Thanks,
justin

008-0816 - VTE Times - Resident recalls history of flooding in Vientiane

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/Weekend/Weekend_News/Weekend_Resident.htm

Resident recalls history of flooding in Vientiane

Imminent flooding in Vientiane stirs recollections of previous floods, 42 years after the city was first seriously flooded.

The Mekong River flooded Vientiane city for the first time in 1966. Vientiane people were faced with disastrous flooding for nearly a month. Many houses and crops were below the water line, and electricity and phone lines were cut off.
The Mekong River overflowed and flooded Vientiane in 1966.

A Vientiane resident, Mrs Dara Viravongs Kanlaya, has witnessed every flooding event from 1966 to 2002. In 1966, she was 30, and she remembers floods in the years of 1966, 1971, 1978 and 2002. Mrs Dara said many low-lying areas around Vientiane were flooded in 1966 because people were not ready to prevent flooding because the Mekong River increased dramatically and flowed into the city over the course of one night.

At that time Mrs Dara lived in Ban Sithane close to the Pakpasak area.

“I got up in the night and saw the water in my house was ankle-deep,” she said. The water flooded open areas of Vientiane within six hours.

“The water level was high in 1966 and it flowed very fast because the dikes to prevent flooding were to low,” she recalled.

In 1966 the Pakpasak area was the first place to become flooded because the dikes were lower than the roads. Many dikes were broken and a strong wave of water surged through many low-lying areas in several villages.

Mrs Dara said during the 20 days of flooding Vientiane people experienced shortages of food and drinking water. Transportation was difficult, with residents using boats, inflatable tyres and plastic containers to move around.

She recalled one person was killed in the first day of flooding in the Nongchanh area, where the water reached its highest level. The Khouvieng area, close to Nongchanh, was not flooded due to its higher location. But nearby villages in the district, such as Beuangkhayong village, suffered from extensive flooding.

“Vientiane city in 1966 was not the same as it’s at present. There were many dikes to prevent flooding in lower areas, with every district having its own dikes. The dikes in some areas were higher than the water level,” Mrs Dara said.

The government provided relief aid such as food, safe drinking water and medicine for people on the second day of flooding. Many people in low lying areas were evacuated to stay at higher locations. The safe areas around Vientiane were That Luang, Phonkheng, Patuxay monument, and Chinaimo.

“People that were evacuated stayed in those areas for more than 20 days. Many people stayed with friends and relatives,” she said.

Mrs Dara said the water level in flooded areas was different; the deepest areas were at the morning market and Nongchanh. Water at these places reached close to two metres deep.

According to the Mekong River Commission, on August 13, 2008 water levels at a station upstream from Chiang Saen near Nong Khai, Thailand, were higher than the levels recorded in 1966 when severe flooding occurred. The water level on August 13 was over 13 metres.

The Mekong River flooded Vientiane for a second time in 1971. Water flowed into the city at Nongthevada, Nongda and Kaoliew villages in Sikhottabong district, with water levels reaching about one metre. The flooding in this year was not as extensive as in 1966 because the dikes to prevent flooding were more widespread and built to higher levels.

Vientiane city was also flooded in 1978-79. According to Mrs Dara, the flood levels at this time were similar to those in 1971, with the water at waist height or about one metre.

Flooding occurred for a fourth time in 2002, although not as widely as in previous years, with only the low lying areas at Kaoliew area affected.

Vientiane Flooding and Drought Prevention Committee’s Secretariat Head, Mr Vilasack Nammounty, said Vientiane authorities prepared well and closely monitored water levels in 2002. Vientiane people began preparation to prevent flooding when the level of the Mekong River rose over the danger mark. Like this year government officials, soldiers, police and people around Vientiane worked together to prevent flooding.

The water levels this year began to increase on August 7, according to a report from the Meteorology and Hydrology Department. Department Director General, Mr Pheng Piangpanya, said water levels were rising because of heavy rains in northern Laos. Flooding has occurred in some low areas around Vientiane.

Water levels will continue to increase, according to the department. Since the water levels surpassed the danger mark, officials, in conjunction with Vientiane residents, have increased the number of sandbags distributed around the city from 400,000 to two million. These were made with 50,000 cubic metres of soil and 70,000 cubic metres of sand. Mr Vilasack said about 7,000 government officials and villagers were assisting in the flood effort.

By PHON THIKEO
(Latest Update August 16, 2008)

Vientiane Times Pangkham Rd, P.O.Box: 5723 Vientiane, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-21) 216364, 251619; Fax: (856-21) 216365;
Email: info at vientianetimes.org.la
Copyright © 2007 Vientiane Times Newspaper.
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Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
3046 INTN
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu