'Substandard construction' caused Laos dam collapse, minister says
By Kocha Olarn, Sandi Sidhu and Ben Westcott
The collapse of Laos dam that triggered massive flooding and devastation was due to "substandard construction," the country's Minister of Energy and Mines said Thursday.
According to the state-run Laos News Agency, Minister Khammany Inthirath told reporters at a news conference the dam "did not function well" after southern Laos was inundated with heavy rainfall, which caused waters to rapidly rise.
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International Rivers, a US-based nongovernmental organization that has campaigned on behalf of residents who have opposed the dam's construction, laid the blame with the Laos authorities for not providing more oversight of the construction process.
"Many dams in operation or planned are not designed to be able to cope with extreme weather events," the group said in a statement.
"Communities were not given sufficient advanced warning to ensure their safety and that of their families. This event raises major questions about dam standards and dam safety in Laos, including their appropriateness to deal with weather conditions and risks."
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