VIENTIANE: Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith, on Friday (March 27) toured neighbourhoods in Sikhottabong district to assess the extent of the damage caused by a freak hailstorm last Sunday.
He visited the Viengkham village office, the 11th Infantry Command, residential areas near an army air force base, and Viengkham Primary School, which all suffered severe damage in the storm. He also visited Chansavang village, which is home to many retired and disabled veterans and where he observed ongoing repair efforts supported by government programmes.
The President and his delegation were able to assess ongoing recovery efforts and delivered financial and material support to families whose houses were damaged.
He urged local authorities and communities to remain resilient and continue working together to ensure that all affected families receive adequate shelter and essential support.
He stressed that no household should be left behind and that everyone should pull together to rebuild in the aftermath of the storm.
In addition, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone made an emergency visit to Phonsomboun village on Saturday to oversee recovery efforts following the devastating hailstorm.
He personally handed 15 million kip to each of six underprivileged families facing extreme hardship. Additionally, Vientiane authorities distributed 5 million kip each to 30 more households.
To support the wider recovery in Sikhottabong and Naxaithong districts, a large-scale relief shipment was also organised, consisting of 25 tonnes of rice, 200 kitchenware sets, and 400 essential items such as mats and mosquito nets.
The Prime Minister urged local authorities to accelerate the repair process and ensure that every affected family receives the necessary support to return to normal life as quickly as possible.
Chairman of the Vientiane Administration Committee, Sililatthongsin Thongpheng, said local authorities had made significant progress in the days following the storm.
Rice and other essential supplies have been distributed to 480 families in five villages and electricity has been restored in 10 villages, with repair teams fixing damaged grid infrastructure and assisting nearly 200 households.
Water supply operations are ongoing, with five trucks delivering over 220 cubic metres of clean water daily.
Communication services have returned to normal, while 130 youth volunteers are helping to clear debris and repair damaged houses. Medical teams have treated 35 people who suffered injuries during the storm.
The total amount of aid provided by government bodies and private organisations to date amounts to 3 billion kip in cash and materials worth 1.6 billion kip.
The total financial aid package amounts to 4 billion kip. Of this, 3 billion kip has been allocated to the Vientiane Capital Administration for general recovery and infrastructure repairs.
A total of 795 million kip will be distributed directly to 53 impoverished families. Each family will receive 15 million kip to assist with their immediate needs and home reconstruction.
As a special relief measure, everyone affected by the storm will be exempt from paying electricity and water bills for a period of three months. - Vientiane Times/ANN
