Deputy PM Oversees Flood Situation in Luang Namtha, Directs Relief Efforts

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Khamlieng Outhakaysone, President of the Central Disaster Management Committee, visited Luang Namtha Province on August 31 to monitor the flood situation and provide guidance on disaster response. Provincial Party Committee Secretary and President of the Provincial People’s Council Lieutenant General Khamking Phouylamanivong briefed the delegation on the situation. Heavy rainfall from August 28–30 triggered flash floods and severe inundation across several areas, including the Boten Special Economic Zone and two schools. Luang Namtha District recorded significant impacts across 33 villages and 2,463 households, while 21 villages in Sing and Na Lae districts were also affected. Roads were cut off and homes, agricultural areas and property sustained damage. Although water levels are receding, stagnant water remains in several areas and rainfall continues. Provincial authorities have established six reception centres and mobilized defence and public security forces to evacuate residents, deliver drinking water, food and other relief supplies, and assist with clean-up and damage assessments. General Khamlieng urged authorities to prioritize recovery, particularly repairing roads, homes and agricultural land, to restore normal living conditions as quickly as possible. The province urgently needs rice, dry food, clothing and essential household supplies. In related news, Lao Brewery Co., Ltd. has provided more than 600 million kip worth of relief supplies to families affected by flooding in seven central and southern provinces. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has warned of possible flash floods and landslides in several provinces on September 1–2, 2026. Meanwhile, a special task force from the Ministry of Public Security has arrested 139 people from four nationalities during raids on suspected cybercrime and online gambling operations in Xaysetha District, Vientiane Capital. On the infrastructure front, a handover ceremony for the Vang Vieng municipal road improvement project in Vientiane Province was held on August 30, 2026. However, the Luang Namtha Provincial Department of Public Works and Transport announced the temporary closure of National Route 13 North from the Oudomxay provincial border to the Boten-China border following severe flooding and landslides caused by heavy rainfall on August 29, 2026.