Nineteen people have been confirmed dead as a result of Monday's hydro dam collapse in southern Laos.
Residents displaced by massive flood waters from the collapsed dam seek shelter in Paksong town in Champasak province. Photo: AFP PHOTO / YE AUNG THU
The Vientiane Times also reported more than 3000 people 'require rescue' and 2800 have been saved.
Hundreds were reported missing after walls of water surged across a vast area of land, submerging at least seven villages.
One of Asia's poorest countries, Laos has an ambitious dam-building scheme as it aims to become "the battery of Asia".
Environmental groups have repeatedly warned about the risks of the rapid pace of dam construction, including damage to the already fragile ecosystem of the region's rivers.
More than a dozen dams are planned with foreign investors, including Thai, South Korean and Chinese firms, under terms that require Laos to export electricity to its more developed neighbours.
The dam that collapsed is part of the hydroelectric Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy power project.
More than 2300 people were resettled to make way for its reservoir, with an additional 8700 directly affected by the project, according to estimates by the developer in 2013.
Residents on rooftops surrounded by floodwaters in Attapeu province in southern Laos after the dam collapse. Photo: AFP PHOTO / ATTAPEU TODAY
As rescuers tried to reach people in Attapeu province, analysts and activists called for greater scrutiny and accountability of the many hydropower projects.
Micah Ingalls at the University of Bern's Centre for Development and Environment in Vientiane said the benefits from the projects were primarily for non-locals but the environmental and social costs would be borne by local communities.
"Local government agencies and communities who see impacts on a day-to-day basis typically have low involvement."
He said federal teams are often "under-funded and under-capacitated to carry out adequate monitoring, and so rely on the expertise and responsibility of the dam investors".
Maureen Harris at the advocacy group International Rivers said many of the people affected by the dam collapse had already been displaced.
Photo: AFP PHOTO / YE AUNG THU
"Or had suffered livelihood losses and other impacts due to the construction of the dam.
"This tragedy has compounded their suffering, and highlights the safety risks, in addition to concerns about the social and environmental impacts."
"The pace at which these projects are being built is clearly not sustainable," she said.
"We hope this tragedy will force a pause on dam projects and trigger critical thinking on if - and how they must be done."
- Reuters
