We are in Vientiane now and the weather here is about the same as in Xiengkhuang, just a bit warmer. It’s cloudy and a bit rainy, but there’s no flooding, which is so great because the Mekong flooded in Vientiane last year and it was a mess.
So, I’m thankful that the places I go the most are fine, but not all of Laos was able to avoid Ketsana. It seems that the provinces in southern Laos (Savannakhet, Attepeu, Saravan (Salavan), and Xekong) have been the most affected. According to an article today in the Vientiane times, at least 3 people have died in the south. A friend of ours said 9 people, but it’s probably more than either guess because the provinces are remote and of course communication is even harder during a disaster. By the way, it’s not the Mekong, but the Xekong “See-kong” that flooded.
“The flash flooding has passed and the storm has weakened, but many communities in the provinces are cut off from roads and any form of communication,” Souksakhone Vaenkeo, Vientiane Times.
Although our organization doesn’t work in the southern provinces of Laos, they do work in the Philippines. Click to read about their response to Ketsana.
Categories: weather and seasons
Tropical Storm Ketsana caused a lot of damage in the Philippines over the weekend, and then turned into a typhoon before hitting Vietnam on Tuesday. It was predicted that Laos and part of Thailand would get lots of rain and wind from the storm after it passed over Vietnam, but so far I’ve only noticed cloudy skies and a bit of wind. I think we’re too far north to see much more than that. I wonder if there will be flooding in Vientiane.
Categories: weather and seasons
Okay, it seems I jumped the gun yesterday . . . it isn’t the rainy season yet. James told me this soon after I posted yesterday, and it was confirmed when I asked a friend of ours who has been living in SE asia for 30 years. He said in Thailand, they call this “the mango rains” – something about the mango trees needing a little rain at this time of year. So during February and March, it might rain occaisionally, but it’s not really the rainy season. How silly of me! I guess I’m still learning since I’ve only been here for the start of 1 rainy season!
Categories: weather and seasons
Yay! It’s the beginning of the rainy season! The rainy season in Laos isn’t very predictable and it’s not going to rain non-stop now that it’s started. But I’m pretty sure that today is the day because it has rained about 2 or 3 hours already. 2 nights ago there was a short drizzle and there was a light rain about 3 weeks ago. Before that it had been months since it rained!
The reason I’m glad it’s raining is that it’s been so dry, dusty, and smoggy recently. On my bikerides I’ve barely been able to see the hills around the city and my throat has been sore from all the stuff in the air. People burn their fields before the rainy season to get rid of weeds, and the smoke has made the sky so dreary! I’m looking forward to beautiful mountains and clear air tomorrow.
Also, we started a vegetable garden about a month ago and some of it is doing quite well! I hope to post some pictures of it soon.
Categories: Lao culture · weather and seasons
