Disaster Management in Laos

Title:  Disaster Management Reference Handbook - Lao PDR

By:  Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance - US Department of Defence

Date:  May 2024

Price:  Free

If you're interested in learning more about disaster management in Laos, this is your document.  It covers several areas including:  hazards and risks, the organizational structure and how it's set up to respond to disasters, as well as, the state of the country's infrastructure and healthcare.

Excerpts from the executive summary:

• "Lao PDR faces several natural hazards, including floods, landslides, tropical storms, droughts, and earthquakes. Flooding is the most commonly occurring disaster and affects the most people. While flooding is part of the Mekong River’s annual cycle, flooding has become more frequent and intense due to a combination of climate change and damming rivers for hydropower."
  
  
• "Lao PDR is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with various models projecting increased extreme heat and increased flooding risks. The country is already facing rising temperatures, which are projected to continue rising broadly in line with the global average. Increased temperatures will worsen human health and ecosystems, and crops and agricultural livelihoods will be negatively impacted. The trend of rising temperatures coincides with increased urbanization, as more people migrate from rural to urban areas in search of opportunities, leading to increased unplanned urban settlements that will be more vulnerable to extreme heat. Whether in urban or rural areas, people living in poverty are especially vulnerable to climate-related hazards, many of which may be exacerbated by climate change."
  
  
• "Lao PDR is balancing managing disaster and climate risks with promoting economic growth."

Head over to this link to download the document for free:  Download link