Natural Disasters and Mitigative Measuresin the Lao PDRCountry Report

Reported by: Mr. Sitha PHOUYAVONGCONTENTS

1. Introduction *2. The basis for Disaster preparedness *3. Occurrence of Natural Disasters *3.1 Flooding *3.2. Droughts *3.3. Fires *3.3.1. Urban Fires *3.3.2. Forest Fires *3.4. Typhoon *3.5. The Erosion and Sedimentation *3.6. Earthquakes *4. Mitigation of Natural Disasters in the Laos in the past *5. Problems, facing the Lao PDR *6. Government Strategy *1. Introduction
The Lao PDR, situated in the center of the south-east Asian peninsula, covers an area of about
237,000 km2 , extends 1000 km from north to south and 500 km from east to west at its widest pointin the north and only 150 km at is narrowest point in the south. Lao PDR is landlocked and virtually
all of the country is in the lower watershed of the Mekong River which traverses the country from
north to south. Almost 80% of the land surface is hilly and mountainous terrain rising between 200m
and 3000m above the Mekong’s alluvial plains. The mountainous terrain renders internal andexternal communication difficult and costly and severely limits the amount of land suitable forintensive agricultural production.

Geologically, the Lao PDR consists of the older mountainous regions along the Annamite range andthe younger alluvial plains bordering the Korat plateau. There are two major geo-tectonic folds
running through the territory of Laos: one between the Korat plateau and the Himalayan plait, which
extends from North of Khammouane Province to North of Savannakhet Province into Vietnam; andone from Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai crossing through Bokeo, Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang
Provinces into Vietnam.
The Climate: The climate is sub-tropical and dominated by the southwest monsoon which brings
high rainfall, high humidity and high temperatures between mid-April and mid-October. While over
70% of the rain falls during the wet season, the climate is characterised by high inter-annual
variability with relatively frequent occurrence of flooding and drought. Average temperatures range
from around 20oC in the mountainous areas and on the highland plateaux to 25oC-27oC in theplains.
There are three main agro-climatic zones;

The mountainous north : With elevations over 1,000metres and steep slopes is dominated bymoist to dry subtropical climate with annual rainfall between 1,500- 2,500 mm. The area
experiences a cooler dry season and hence higher intra-annual temperature variations than therest of the country. The soils have low water retention capacity and generally low fertility. The
combination of a rugged terrain and relatively poor soils leads to a high occurrence of slashand-burn. This, in return, has the consequence that every year there are forest fires in excess
what is needed for shifting cultivation. In the last four years, there were two earthquakes
registered in the North of the Lao PDR.

The mountainous parts of the center and the south: With elevations between 500 and
1,000 m (and some peaks over 2,000m) but generally moderate slopes is dominated by atropical monsoon climate with annual rainfall from 2,500-3,500 mm on the Bolovens plateau.
Also in this area, forest fire are more the rule than the exception.

The plains: They are located along the Mekong river and its tributaries including the Vientiane
plain, the narrow plain in Bolikhamsay province and northern Khammouane province, the larger
plain of southern Khammouane province and Savannakhet province and a series of smaller
plains in the southern provinces ( Champassak, Saravane, Attapeu). These areas are inhabitedby more than 50% of the population and are dominated by a moist to dry tropical climate withannual rainfall varying from 1,200 to 2,000 mm. The flood plains and immediate adjacent levies
are generally characterised by recent alluvial deposits which are acidic and shallow, with loworganic matter and low fertility. The younger alluvial soils of the flood plains are somewhat
more fertile than the older terrace soils, but they are often subject to wet season flooding.

Economically, the Lao PDR is still in its beginning to develop an industrial base. There is no
chemical industry or other large scale industry in the country. Therefore, massive spills of hazardous
chemicals are unlikely to occur in the near future. Because the country has no borders with the sea,
oil spills, which bother neighbouring countries, are not of relevance here.

2. The basis for Disaster preparedness
At the 1986 Government Congress, the New Economic Mechanism emerged as a means to promotea market- based economic system based on de-centralized economic decision- making and an
expanded private sector. The New Economic Mechanism subsequently was included in the
country’s 1991 Constitution and has since become the basis of a national reform process based onsustainable development and the conservation of natural resources. More recently, the government
also has emphasised rural development as a key priority for realising the stated objectives ofaccelerated socio-economic development and improved living standards through the expansion ofeconomic, social and physical infrastructure. The national priority programmes, all of which in somemanner can be related to disaster reduction are food production, stabilisation/reduction of shifting
cultivation, commercial production, infrastructure development, improved foreign economic relations,rural development, human resource development and services development.

3. Occurrence of Natural Disasters
3.1 Flooding
Flooding is the main natural disaster in the Lao PDR - both in terms of fre-quency as in terms ofconsequences. There are floods along the Mekong river every year in the central and southern partsof the country. Those areas represent almost a half of the country’s surface and rice andagricultural production are concentrated here. Flooding in the North and East is rare, sometimes
Oudomxay Province is affected. But because of the sloping area, the force of flood water is strong
and therefore floods in the North are far more devastating than in the centre and the South.

Table 1: List of flooding.
YearType of Damage

Damage cost ( $us)

Location of Damage

1966

Large flood

13,800,000

Central

1968

Flood

2,830,000

Southern

1969

Flood

1,020,000

Central

1970

Flood

30,000Central1971

Large flood

3,573,000

Central1972

Flood and Drought

40,000

1973

Flood

3,700,000

Central

1974

Flood

180,000

Southern

1976

Flash Flood

9,000,000

1977

Severe Drought

15,000,000

1978

Large flood

5,700,000

1979

Flood and Drought

3,600,000

1980

Flood

3,000,000

Central

1981

Flood

682,000

Central

1984

Flood

3,430,000

1985

Flash Flood

1,000,000

1986

Flood and Drought

2,000,000

1990

Flood

100,000

Central

1991

Flood and Drought

3,650,000

Central

1992

Flood, Drought
Forest Fires

302,151,200

Central and northern

1993

Flood and Drought

21,827,927

Central Southern

andOudomsay Province

g

,

,

1994

Flood

21,152,400

Central Southern

1995

Large flood

33,000,000

CentralSouthernandFlood and Drought

1,196,614

CentralSouthern

and

1996
1997

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 1995

Table 2. Flood and Damaged rice fields 1994 , 1995 and 1997 by province.

Province

Damaged 1994
(hectares

Transplanted
1995

Damaged
1995

Transplanted
1997 (hectares)

Damaged1997(hectares

Vientiane

2,485

33,523

7,425

38,6604,700

Vientiane
Prefecture

1,800

42,737

17,39647,5002,800

Bolikhamsay

5,997

18,791

8,157

26,7005,870

Khammouane

13,702

41,781

13,49841,7506,900

Savannakhet

4,457

93,0396,791

106,295

8,285Champassak

3,102

36,9188,300

80,160

5,750

Total

31,633306,789

61,567

341,065

34,305

Averagenumber/familygrowth rate

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 1995-97

Table 3. Flood affected population, 1995 and 1997
Province

population

Numberoffamilies 1995

Numberoffamilies

1995
1997

Vientianeprefecture

528,109

88,86322,225

5.94

3.4

Vientiane
Province

286,089

47,167

14,130

6.07-

Bolikhamsay

163,847

26,642

12,372

6.15-

Khammouane

273,779

49,83949,9485.49

2.5

Savannakhet

671,581

106,858

7,657

6.28

2.1

Savannakhet

671,581

106,858

7,657

6.28

2.1

Champassak

500,994

84,23013,039

5.95

2.2

Total

2,424,399

403,549

119,371--

Whole Country

4,581,258

752,102

238,762

6.09

2.4

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 1995-97

The major floods occurred in Laos since the past 35 years, with severe or exceptional flooding in
1966, 1978, 1983 ,1990, 1991,1993 and 1995 . As a general condition, floods are experienced from
August to September in the central and southern provinces of the country.

In order to initiate mitigation measures, the government has started to collect data on the mostaffected areas, to undertake surveys on the most important catchment areas with the use of RS/GIS
with the aim for river rectification in the future.

3.2. Droughts
This type of disaster is the second most important after flooding. It occurs over the whole country.
However, regions which most experience droughts are the same with the most floods (central andsouthern provinces). Hereby one has to consider0 that a short drought of , for example two weeks
occurring during the seedlings preparation can have serious consequences. When all seedlings(before transplanting) die, the farmers have to start anew. The process of transplanting will therefore
be delayed by approx. four weeks and, when the normal rainy season floods occur, the newlytransplanted rice will be not high enough to withstand even that normal water level.

Table 4: Consequences of droughts
Year

Type of Damage

Damage cost ( $us)

Location
Damage1967

Drought

5,200,000

CentralandSouthern1972

Flood and Drought

40,0001975

Drought

not available

1977

Severe Drought

15,000,000

1979

Flood and Drought

3,600,000

1982

Drought

not available

1983

Drought

50% below normal
production levels

1986

Flood and Drought

2,000,000

1987

Drought

5,000,000

Centralnorthern

of

and

1988

DroughtCroplossesof
40,000,000
productioninElectricity
Production(hydro)
10,500,000

Southern

1989

Drought

20,000,000

Southern

1991

Flood and Drought

3,650,000

Central

1992

Flood, Drought andForest Fires

302,151,200

Centralnorthern

1993

Flood and Drought

21,827,927

Central,SouthernandSource: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 1995

In the above mentioned areas, there are more than 400,000 hectares under paddy cultivation.
However, if they are hit by drought, only 18,000 hectares have irrigation and the remaining area has
to remain barren. In 1996, the government has purchased 7,027 pump units for improving thissituation. Since then, 99,700 hectares of paddy fields can be artificially irrigated. Other cash-crops
can be irrigated up to 50,000 hectares.

The use of pumping stations has improved the situation considerably but, in order to have enoughwater available, the government pays great attention to the protection of watersheds and the creationof artificial water retaining basins.
3.3. Fires
Forest fires have always occurred in Laos. They are mostly observed during the dry season(February to April) particularly in the mountain-ous north and north-east. In 1998 an unusual drought
as a possible consequence of this year’s El Nino occurred and led to a much higher incidence offorest fires.

Table 5: Areas affected by forest fires nationwide

Location

1996

1997

1998

Luang Prabang*--- 3,000 ha

Bokeo*--

4,200 ha along the Lao ? ThaiborderOudomxay*

35,000 ha

25,000 ha

20,000 ha

Luang Namtha*--

17 mountains along the Lao Chinese border

Phongsaly*

-

-

-

Saygnabuly*

15,000haslash-and-burn

15,000haslash-and-burn127,360 ha

Viengtiane**

710 haViengtiane
Prefecture**

1,240 haXieng Khouang**

10,000 ha

Houaphane**
Saysomboune**
Bolikhamsay**
Khammouane**

58 ha

Savannakhet**

600 haSalavane**

100 haChampasack**

200 haSekong**67,527 ha

Attapeu**

50,000 ha

TOTAL

40,000 ha

134,995 ha

Source: * Provincial adiministration** Ministry of Agriculture/Forestry, Dept. of Forestry

3.3.1. Urban Fires
Urban fires occur frequently in the Lao PDR, mainly due to the cooking habit of the population,
traditions connected to spiritual beliefs and its spreading is facilitated by mostly wooden houses.
In addition they derive from neglecting the cooking fire or the back - yard burning of household
waste. Another reason for urban fires is the outdated electricity equipment of houses, markets andfactory buildings.
Each major town has at least one fire brigade.

3.3.2. Forest Fires
Each year, the Lao PDR suffers a loss of its forest cover due to uncontrolled forest fires.

The main reason for forest fires is slash-and-burn cultivation without proper supervisionby the farmers. Often much more area than planned for cultivation is burned. There areno fire-breaks in the Lao PDR.
Another reason for this is for chasing animals out of the forest for shooting them easily.
Secondary forest is often burned in order to convert this area into grazing land.
In areas, where the boundary between the Lao PDR and its neighbours is not defined bya waterway, often forest fires spread from neighbouring countries.

One countermeasure to prevent forest fires is the at present ongoing activity of the government toissue land titles to the population (including for forests). This leads to a sense of ownership andprevents major fires. The strategy has proven very successful up to now. As a member of ASEAN,

the Lao PDR has actively participated in the development of it haze action plan, which also deals
with the prevention of forest fires.
There is also a Prime Minister’s Order to establish fire prevention units at village level. This,
however, faces many difficulties because of the lack of equipment and communication. Often there
are only some buckets for extinguishing a fire.

3.4. Typhoon
Typhoons accompany the onset of the rainy season every year (May, June). Because of its
protection by mountain range, typhoons here are quite mild. However, material damage (uproofing ofhouses, felling of trees and electricity posts) is quite wide spread. For example, on 23.4.97 a typhoonin Bokeo has destroyed 112 houses and made 607 people homeless. The total damage amounted to
260 million Kips (approx. 200,000 US Dollars).

3.5. The Erosion and Sedimentation
Rivers are running from the mountains to the Mekong River generally through such steep gradientsthat many of them increase rapidly in times of heavy rains and carry large amount of alluvial soil
downstream. In addition, wherever the forest or other vegetation cover is depleted, the water usually
carries away a large amount of topsoil.
The main causes of landslides are heavy rainfall, deforestation and other activities on high slopes.

Soil Erosion
Adequate data on erosion is not available but the predominant soil types and heavy rainfall, suggestthat a significant part of the country is susceptible to erosion.

A recent analysis of sedimentation data in the lower Mekong basin furthermore suggests that
sediment rates in the southern parts of Laos have increased substantially over the past twenty years
and are among the highest in the region, although the exact causes for the increase have not yet
been determined. This suggests that further research and monitoring in the watersheds of thesouthern Mekong tributaries which carry these high sedimentation loads is warranted.

In 1996, landslide occurred in Oudomxay province. It was originated by heavy rainfall andinadequate soil structure. It lead to the breaking of a 1MW hydro-power dam, which apparently was
not surveyed properly. Another landslide destroyed the Nam Phao Dam in Bolikhamxay Province(1.5 MW).

River erosion
Sedimentation of storage reservoirs and high sediment flows in rivers as a result of erosion of
upstream catchments, pose a significant potential threat to hydro power schemes and irrigation
development. Siltation of the reservoirs reduces storage available for power generation or irrigationand high sediment flows in rivers and canals tend to damage machinery and restrict flows.

River bank erosion is very high in the area of the Golden Triangle (border area between Laos,
Thailand and Myanmar). Every year, in each village, more than ten houses have to be moved awayfrom the Mekong. There are about 30 villages along the river in this area. Other areas of the Lao
PDR, such as Vientiane Municipality, Bolikhamxay, Thakhek, Savannakhet, Pakse, Champassak andKhong are also heavily affected.

Table 6. Suspended sediment flow in selected rivers
Rivers Catchment Area Mean Flow Sediment Yield
km2 m3/sec ton/km2
Mekong at LuangPrabang 268,000 3,973 122
Mekong at Pakse 545,000 9,805 178
Xe bang hieng (Mek .trib.Savannakhet 19,400 499 345
Se done ( Mek. Trib. Champasack) 5,760 154 229
Nam Leuk (Mek. Trib. Vientiane) 5,115 297 212
Nam Ngum ( Mek. Trib. Vientiane) 16,500 696 48
Nam Khan ( Mek. Trib. Luang Prabang) 5,800 83 66
Source: Mekong Secretariat, “ The lower Mekong basin: Suspended sediment Transport and Sedimentation Problems (1995)”.

3.6. Earthquakes
Old French surveys (from 1890 - 1975) and recent data from Vietnam and Thailand suggest thatearthquakes have frequently occurred in the North of Laos. Their magnitude was always quite low.
However, the data collected in the past only show that there was an earthquake in a certain region
but give no detail as on the damage and duration.

A major earthquake has been recorded for the first time in the history of Laos, at 1.00AM of
31,October 1994 . The epicenter was placed at 200 19’ 50” N and 102o 26’40”E (Xeung hok
village, district of Muong Gnoi, Luang Prabang province). Fortunately at that time, the earthquake did
not destroy any assets and kill any people.

The second one observed in the recent past, hit in November 1996 at 200 15’ N and 1000 30’E in
Houay Xay District of Bokeo Province. More than 60 houses were destroyed, among them a hotelwith approx. 20 rooms and the cultural hall of the province. Repair costs were about 100,000 US
Dollars.

There is no strong motion measuring station (seismic station) in the whole country but, withincreasing activity observed along the Luang Prabang fold further earthquakes are expected andsuch a station maybe needed for prediction.

4. Mitigation of Natural Disasters in the Laos in the past
1. In the past, the government has given welfare and replacement seeds and animals to thevictims of floods, droughts and fires.
2. Flood protection dikes along all major towns were constructed.
3. There are also some flood protection dikes to protect strategic areas.
4. Each major town has at least one professional fire brigade for urban fires.
5. In the recent past, village units for forest fire protection were established.

5. Problems, facing the Lao PDR
From all disasters, only fires have government units responsible.
There is not sufficient legislative framework for the management of disasters.
Human resources for proper research on disasters are not sufficient.
Another problem is the lack of proper information and data channels and equipment.
Fire extinguishing equipment is also not sufficient. There are no hydrants and techniques areusually outdated.
Budget to cover disaster prevention and mitigation is too low.

6. Government Strategy
1. The Lao PDR is preparing its haze action plan.
2. Expand disaster units to all levels of the government.
3. Establish a legal framework (regulating rights and duties in the case of emergency)
4. Improve the communication system and upgrade equipment.
5. Establish a social welfare fund for the victims of disasters.
6. Provide sufficient funds for research and early warning systems.