VIENTIANE, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Two people are dead and grave fears are held for another two who remain missing Wednesday following Tuesday's landslide-related flash flooding in Laos' northern province of Luang Prabang.
Local authorities have sought assistance from the country's armed forces in the search for the remaining missing pair whose identities were not revealed.
Nine dwelling buildings were washed away and another 24 partially damaged by the water, mud and debris, primarily in the village of Fay in Luang Prabang's Nan district.
It is believed the disaster may have occurred as a result of heavy rainfall and sudden release of water upstream caused by a landslip, with the victims lulled into a false sense of safety by clear skies and what had been a mostly dry river bed at the site.
Deforestation is behind an increasing number of landslides in Laos as landholders look to clear land or profit from valuable hardwoods.
