On September 12, the Vientiane Capital Office issued an urgent notice to all organizations, individuals, agencies, and units located in Vientiane Capital to prepare for response.
The announcement said that from September 12 to 16, there will be continuous rain, causing the Mekong River water level to suddenly increase. It is forecasted that on September 14, the water level will rise to 12.54 m, on September 15, it will be 13.41 m (0.9 m higher than the dangerous level of 12.50 m), and on September 16, it will be 13.85 m (1.3 m higher than the dangerous level of 12.50 m).
According to the Mekong River Commission, at 9:30 a.m. on September 13, the water level measured at Luang Prabang, Chiangkhan, Vientiane and Nongkhai stations was at a dangerous level. The water level in Luang Prabang was 19.02 m, 1.02 m higher than the dangerous level, and in Vientiane it was 12.57 m, 0.27 m higher than the dangerous level.
Therefore, to prevent damage to people and property, the Vientiane Capital Office recommends that government officials at all levels, the military, police, enterprises, companies, hospitals, schools, airports, etc., as well as all citizens and foreigners living and working in Vientiane Capital, raise awareness and prepare in all aspects at the highest level to deal with possible flooding; move vehicles, furniture, pets and valuable assets to high and safe places; and always monitor warnings and update weather conditions and hourly river water level increases.
In addition, the Vientiane capital authorities have also prepared the best possible solutions to deal with any possible unexpected flooding; planned to assign clear tasks to each relevant department and unit, and requested relevant authorities to be on duty 24/7 to monitor the water level in rivers and streams in the area.
According to updates from Lao social media sites on the morning of September 13, water levels on rivers and streams, especially the Mekong River in the Vientiane capital area, continued to rise. At some points and in some places, the army and police came to support people by placing sandbags in low-lying areas to prevent water from flooding into the inner city.