Potential upsides emerge from Lao dam disaster
The July 23 Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower dam collapse that left at least 35 dead, 99 missing and 6,000 homeless in Attapeu province in southern Laos was an unprecedented manmade tragedy and wake-up call for the communist-run nation. Keep reading ...
Mekong River Body Welcomes Laos' Decision to Suspend New Dam Projects
The Mekong River Commission welcomed on Wednesday a decision by the Laos government to suspend approval of new dams while reviewing all dams currently under construction following the collapse of part of a hydropower project last month. Keep reading ...
Mekong water security sets off alarm bells in the region
Water resource security – which involves the sustainable use and protection of water systems, the mitigation against floods and droughts, and the sustainable development of water resources – is one of the emerging key regional issues in Southeast Asia. Keep reading ...
Ministry says Mekong floodwaters are receding
The Water Resources Ministry yesterday announced that floodwaters in the Mekong river are receding, while some provincial authorities are still donating money to affected families. A ministry statement said that the water level in the Mekong river in Stung Treng province yesterday was at 10.05 ...
Death toll from Mekong floods in Cambodia rises to 15
Mekong River floods have killed 15 people in Cambodia over the past three weeks, forcing thousands of families to evacuate to higher grounds, a disaster control spokesman said Monday. Keep reading ...
Provinces prepare for floods as water levels of rivers in Mekong Delta rise
The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has instructed Mekong Delta provinces to keep farmers informed about weather and tide conditions so they can harvest crops unprotected by dyke systems. Keep reading ...
Moratorium on new Mekong dams in Laos provides window of opportunity
As Laos hits the pause button on its huge hydropower dam building spree, this is an opportunity to push for other forms of renewable energy – solar and wind – that Laos is well-placed to use, argues Brian Eyler. Keep reading ...
Rethink plans to dam Mekong after Laos disaster
The collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam after heavy rains last month that killed more than 30 in Laos and left thousands of Lao and Cambodian people homeless is reigniting an urgent debate about preventing similar tragedies in future. Keep reading ...
Laos' govt to inspect all dam standards, shelve new hydro projects
The government has announced it will examine the safety standards applied to the construction of hydropower dams across the country following the deadly disaster caused by the collapse of a dam in Attapeu province. Keep reading ...
Vietnam’s Mekong quandary: settling the sediment issue
As the biggest loser, Vietnam has to use its influence to limit dam damage on Mekong Delta, says Mekong specialist Richard Cronin. []Already, upstream dams in China and on major Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) tributaries in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam have trapped a major share of ...
