Việt Nam, Laos open disaster data lab in Vientiane

VAST President Châu Văn Minh, Lao Minister of Technology and Communications Boviengkham Vongdara and some other distinguished guests cut the ribbon to inaugurate the lab. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Tú

VIENTIANE — A disaster data and communication lab was inaugurated in the Laotian capital city of Vientiane on August 6, marking a significant step in sci-tech cooperation between Việt Nam and Laos.

The 50sq.m lab, a joint initiative of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the Lao Ministry of Technology and Communications, underwent renovation, equipment installation, and software setup from July 26 to August 4. It is equipped with four display screens, two computers, and various other devices used for real-time earthquake monitoring.

VAST President Châu Văn Minh and Lao Minister of Technology and Communications Boviengkham Vongdara attended the inauguration ceremony.

The lab is a cornerstone for developing a regional terrestrial network system that will connect data from Việt Nam, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries.

It is equipped with the SeisComP system, capable of automatically processing real-time earthquake data and providing crucial information such as occurrence time, location, magnitude, and depth. For earthquakes exceeding magnitude 4.5, experts will conduct in-depth analysis to refine the data.

Currently, Laos operates three earthquake monitoring stations positioned in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Bolikhamsay provinces, with distances between the stations ranging from 150-300km.

The lab is expected to bolster data management and disaster communication capabilities in Laos, aligning with the country’s digital government programme.

Historical data revealed that Laos has experienced 22 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 4.0 since 1900. Two of these quakes surpassed a magnitude of 6.0, while six fell a magnitude between 5.0 and 5.9, primarily affecting the northern region. — VNS