Early Warning System in Lao PDR - GFDRR

Early Warning System
in Lao PDR
By
Virana Sonnasinh
Planning Division
Planning and Cooperation Division
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Country Background
Description
Country or provinces
Yunan Mynmar Lao PDR Thailand Cambodia Viet Nam MRB
Area (km2) 165000 24000 202000 184000 155000 65000 795000
Catment
/country
(percent)
Population
(million)
MRB
(percent
38 4 97 36 86 20
4.905 9.800 23.230 16.920 54.755
21 3 25 23 20 8 100

mean monthly runoff (m3/s)
Country Background
45,000
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
Vietnam
Cambodia
Thailand
Laos
Myanmar
China
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Area
(km2)
Average
flow
(m3/sec)
from area
Average
flow
(percent)
Country or provinces
YN MM LA TH CAM VN MRB
165000 24000 202000 184000 155000 65000 795000
2410 300 5270 2560 2860 1660 15,060
16 2 35 18 18 11 100

Country Bacground

Flooding in
Vientiane
Capital
1966

Flooding in
Northern
province of
Luangnamtha
in 2006

Institutional Arrangement for
Disaster Management in Lao PDR
National Disaster Management Committee
1 Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Chairman
2 Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Vice Chairman
3 Chief of Cabinet , Ministry of Foreign Affaires Vice Chairman
4 Chief of Cabinet, Ministry of Defense Member
5 Chief of Cabinet, Ministry of Security Member
6 Chief of Cabinet, Ministry of Education Member
7 Director General of Budget Department, Ministry of Finance Member
8 Director General of Transport Department, Ministry of Public Works and
Transport
Member
9 Director of Industry Department, Ministry of Industry and Commerce Member
10 Director of Hygiene Department, Ministry of Public Health Member
11 Director of Mass Media Department, Ministry of Information and Culture Member
12 Director of Social Welfare Department, Ministry of Labors and Social Welfare Member
13 Chairman of Lao Red Cross Society Member

Flood Forecasting, Warning, and
Dissemination
Department of
Meteorology
and Hydrology
forecasting
•17 main synoptic surface station
•33 secondary synoptic stations
•113 rain gauges. Staff gauges
are 119 Staff gauges
•49 discharge measurement
stations
•C-Band Doppler radar at DMH
Headquarter
•MTSAT – 1R satellite receiving
station
Warning
Dissemination

Flood Forecasting
Flood Forecasting
The preparation of daily
flood bulletins is
completed at 10:00 am.
The product of flood
forecasting lead time is 48
hours (from 7:00 am today
to 7:00 am day after
tomorrow) and update
daily. The flood forecasting
is mainly water levels and
the forecasting includs
only 6 stations
( Luangprabang, Vientiane,
Paksane, Thakek,
Savanakhet, and Pakse)
HVT, forecast = (HLB, yesterday – HLB, day before yesterday)*0.35 + HVT, today
Where:
HVT = water level observes on 7:00 am (local time) at hydrological station Vientiane Km4
HLB = water level observes on 7:00 am (local time) at hydrological station Luangprabang

Flood Warning and Dissemination
Nearly warning
In the case the water level forecast at that
station will expect to be at 0.50 m below
warning level. DMH has to provide the
warning and timely delivering to
Mass media and Ministry of Agriculture
and Forestry
Prime Minister’s Office, LNMC and
NDMO
DMH make an interview to mass media
DMH sent the warning information to
PAFO and PHM and to focus areas
The warning message is broadcasted
through national and local radio stations
during daily programme for disaster
management
Urgent warning
In the case the water level exceeds warning
level. DMH has to provide the urgent
warning to
Mass media and DMH makes an interview
to mass media
DMH report to Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry and later report to Prime Minister
Prime Minister’s Office, and LNMC
DMH sent the warning information to
PAFO and PHM and to focus areas
At the same time DMH sends urgent
warning to NDMO
NDMO sends the urgent warning to
Provincial disaster management office and
later to district office and focus areas
National radio stations will broadcast the
warning massage through its program
regularly

Lessons learnt
• The flooding in Vientiane capital in 2008 is severe and exceed the
historical highest record in 1966
• The timely flood forecasting and dissemination provided by Department of
Meteorology and Hydrology was helpful for making arrangements and
preparing measures by each level of Government lines Agencies in Lao
PDR.
• Lack of tool for flood victims evacuation such as boat, rescue team no
means access to flooding areas.
• Improvements of data coverage are particularly needed over north of
Luangprabang in Lao PDR in favor of accurate flood forecasting along the
Mekong River.
• Awareness on utilize Meteorological / Hydrological information to users
and disasters prevention to flood risk community need to be improved.
• The strong political commitment is very crucial for successful large scale
flood preparedness
• The unplanned urban development and spontaneous settlements escalate
the flood damages and losses
• no standard format for assessing flood damages results in the misuse of
the resources