The Xe Pian - Xe Namnoy hydropower dam in southern Laos, which collapsed on the night of July 23, will not affect Vietnam's Mekong Delta region, according to Associate Professor Le Anh Tuan, head of the Climate Change Research Institute under the Can Tho University.

Associate Professor Le Anh Tuan, head of the Climate Change Research Institute under the Can Tho University

Tuan, who is currently on a business trip to China, spoke to the Saigon Times via email about possible impacts of the dam collapse.

The Xe Pian - Xe Namnoy dam collapse in Laos’ southern province of Attapeu has isolated Sanamxay District. Will this incident affect the Mekong Delta in Vietnam?

The collapse will not affect the Mekong Delta as it is a small-sized subsidiary hydropower dam, with a holding capacity of only 1.03  billion cubic meters of water, which is much lower than that of the Tonle Sap in Cambodia.

The water flow from the dam to Cambodia will be regulated by the Tonle Sap, so it will not cause flooding in the Mekong Delta region.

What according to you are the main causes of the dam’s failure? What lessons can be learned?

The incident of the Xe Pian - Xe Namnoy dam shows loopholes in the management and ability to cope with natural disasters, though the project was constructed by renowned contractors, including from South Korea.

About a year ago, there was another hydropower dam collapse in northern Laos. Both dams were under construction at the time. If an operational dam collapses, the consequences could be tragic.

The dam failure shows that the operations of hydropower dams pose great risks. In theory, hydropower dams help regulate the water flow and restrict flooding, but these functions only apply in normal weather conditions. In other scenarios, it can pose severe risks, as the Lao dam did.

Flooding is on the rise in the headwaters of the Mekong River, and local authorities forecast major floods will occur early this year in the Mekong Delta. How should one deal with this?

This year, the Mekong Delta region will witness floods earlier compared with the last two years, but this will bring plenty of benefits instead of problems. Flooding will carry a large amount of silt and aquatic creatures, which will help fertilize the soil.

However, floods also have downsides. For instance, the related agencies and residents in flood-prone areas must be prepared to minimize the potential risks as the floods may affect the timely harvest of summer-autumn rice crops.

In addition, they should build embankments and prepare plans for an early harvest. Last but not least, adults must keep an eye on their children during floods.

SGT