Xekong battered by tropical storm Mirinae

Vientiane Times, 10 Nov 2009

At least five houses in Dukcheung district, Xekong province, have been
damaged by tropical storm Mirinae and several families are believed to
be homeless.

Bordering Vietnam , the district has suffered at the hands of three
major weather events during recent months

The most recent storm hit the district from November 2-4, according to
District Governor Ms Chanhorm Mahaxay.

Officials have been deployed to reach the storm hit-areas to assess
needs and collect information, while offering relief to the victims.

No deaths or cases of missing persons have been reported, she said.

Data collection is expected to be finalised on November 13-14.

Miss Chanhorm admitted that relief work has been tough as many
affected areas are isolated from passable roads.

Located in rugged remote areas of the Annamite mountain range, they
are not accessible by vehicle during the rainy season each year.

Officials must make part of the journey on foot.

“It is also difficult for a helicopter to reach this area because of
the prevalence of low clouds which do not allow airc raft to fly
safely,” she said.

The storm was the third to hit the district this year.

Deadly tropical storm Ketsana passed through at the end of September,
followed by the effects of tropical storm Parma , Ms Chanhorm said.

Bringing stronger winds than the previous two storms, it is believed
that some damage from Mirinae has yet to be revealed.

Ketsana caused the most serious damage with severe flooding.
Floodwaters killed four people in the district alone, among 20
fatalities reported nationwide.

Large areas of crops and numerous buildings were destroyed by flooding
from Ketsana, resulting in a 14 billion kip loss.

“We don't seem to have suffered from rain as we did with Ketsana, but
we suffered from stronger winds,” she told Vientiane Times.

She said nearly all storms hitting Vietnam also affected Dukcheung
district, which shares a border with Vietnam 's Quang Nam province.

Tropical storm Mirinae killed more than 100 people in Vietnam .

Ms Chanhorm said that clothes, food items and roofing materials were
the most urgent needs.

She estimated damage from the three storms has now exceeded 1,000
billion kip.