Flooding in Laos

[Anchor Lead]

Heavy flooding in Laos has caused part of a dam under construction by a Korean builder there to collapse, swamping local towns and villages in the area. Several people have been confirmed dead while hundreds remain missing.

[Pkg]

An entire town is submerged in muddy water. The locals who escaped on boats help the elderly and sick evacuate to safe areas. Those who failed to flee the town climb to the roof in desperate effort. Local media report the hydroelectric dam in Attapeu province in southeastern Laos has flooded due to heavy rains on Monday night and that parts of the dam have collapsed. The water released from the dam, measuring some 5 billion cubic meters, has flooded six nearby villages. Local reports say that several people were killed, while hundreds of others were missing and 66-hundred have lost their homes. The Korean builder SK Engineering and Construction argues the dam did not collapse but has flooded amid torrential rain. The company says it has formed an emergency committee and is assisting rescue efforts on the site, mobilizing helicopters and boats.