Ketsana kills 14 and leaves many missing in southern provinces

(KPL) Ketsana has killed 14 people in Attapeu province and 150 local villagers have been missing in the southern province of Sekong, according to local authorities. Meanwhile the EU announced yesterday that it would provide 2 million euro to help victims of Ketsana tropical storm for Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, where the storm has hit.

Dr Davong Xayasane, Deputy-Head of the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Division of the Lao Red Cross Society (LRC) in Vientiane, disclosed yesterday that at least 14 people were killed by the ?Ketsana? tropical storm. Provincial officials are now searching for more victims of the storm, who have been unaccounted in the southern province of Attapeu.

Mr Khounthong, representative of the Lao Red Cross Society in Attapeu province, told KPL News yesterday that among the 14 dead people 13 were identified as Vietnamese and one of Lao national. But provincial officials could retrieve only four bodies and efforts are continuing to find the rest. Hundreds of relief workers are now sent in to Attapeu province. They do hope that the bodies will be found soon.
He said that most of dead people who worked for Sekhamane Hydropower dam Construction Project, which took over by Vietnamese businesspeople as they set temporary camps surrounding its project.

Ketsana Tropical Storm has hit Attapeu province since Tuesday?s evening. It would not kill only fourteen people but many others in rural areas would face flooding, he believed.
At the same time, Mr Phonphet Khulavong, Deputy Governor of Sekong province, reported in an interview to KPL News yesterday that his province was facing most difficult time. They need basic necessities such as boats, food, medicine, communication, electricity and road systems.

?Now more than 150 rural people living in many villages such as Pakthoun, Pakpoun and Donchan villages in Sekong Province have gone missing and we still do not know of their fate. We are working with state and international organisations to further search for those missing? said Mr Phonphet.

?We cannot get in touch with the outside because communication, electricity, road systems in our province have been cut off and flooded by the Sekong River, after Ketsana hit us on Tuesday?s evening? he said.

He estimated that more than 10 billion kip of damage were inflicted by Ketsana. The damage was made to people?s properties such as animals, farmland, and crops, besides the people?s houses, governmental buildings and roads.

A latest report made yesterday said that the EU had agreed to provide 2 million euro in fast-track humanitarian aid to help victims of Ketsana tropical storm for Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Besides it disclosed that EU was dispatching a rapid response team from the Commission?s humanitarian aid department (ECHO) to Vietnam to assess needs in the stricken areas.

On the same day, the Lao government sent task force teams to three provinces: Attapeu, Sekong and Saravane provinces, which have been affected severely. Initial information disclosed from Champassak Province yesterday that the Lao government had used helicopters and trucks to carry food, medicine and needed items to the victims.

The Care International Organisation is preparing many basic needs for Ketsana victims.

The BBC reported yesterday?s evening that death from Ketsana Tropical Storm in Vietnam had risen to at least 84. In Cambodia at least 11 people died in Kampong Thom province, central Cambodia. And in the Philippines, the government said it now believed 246 people had died.
Meanwhile, a new typhoon, named Parma, is gaining strength about 650 km (404 miles) off the country?s eastern coast.