VIENTIANE, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Lao officials and provincial disaster management committees met to discuss enhancing community resilience and strengthening the capacity of local authorities to respond effectively to disasters in targeted northern provinces.
According to a Lao National Radio report on Friday, an orientation meeting was held in northern Laos' Luang Namtha province to strengthen community resilience and enhance the Lao Red Cross's disaster preparedness capacity in 11 target villages across the northern provinces of Luang Namtha, Bokeo, and Phongsaly.
The initiative includes developing and distributing manuals on community-based disaster risk reduction and community health, implementing early action protocols, training village volunteers in vulnerability and capacity assessment, and conducting community preparedness workshops and disaster response simulations.
It aims to reduce the impact of climate-related disasters on vulnerable communities and improve the capacity of the Lao Red Cross staff in emergency response.
Speaking at the meeting on Tuesday, Khamlavan Chanthalavan, president of the Lao Red Cross, emphasized the importance of equipping communities and key stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to respond effectively to future disasters.
In 2024, Laos experienced 69 extreme weather events that affected 58,753 families across 1,730 villages in 147 districts. Flooding and landslides caused significant damage to highways, roads, bridges, and waterworks. A total of 41,027 hectares of farmland were inundated, 4,349 livestock were affected, and damage extended to 118 irrigation systems, 126 schools, eight health centers, and 86 water sources.
Huaphan, Luang Namtha, Xayaboury, Luang Prabang, and other northern provinces were among the hardest hit. ■
