Are there still mines in Laos?
The Mining industry of Laos which has received prominent attention with foreign direct investments (FDI) has, since 2003–04, made significant contributions to the economic condition of Laos. More than 540 mineral deposits of gold, copper, zinc, lead and other minerals have been identified, explored and mined.
Does Laos have landmines?
Much of the Southeast Asian nation is still contaminated by landmines, despite decades of clearance efforts, with about 300 new casualties each year, many of them children, it says. Laos was hit by a tropical storm on July 18 and 19, which caused flooding in parts of 13 provinces, including Attapeu, the U.N. said.
Are there still unexploded bombs in Laos?
MAG removes 300,000th unexploded bomb in Laos. MAG has reached a historic milestone — earlier this month, our teams in Laos removed and safely disposed of their 300,000th unexploded bomb. … More than 50,000 people have been killed by unexploded bombs, 20,000 since the war ended. Almost half have been children.
How many bombs are still in Laos?
Each of the casings contained roughly 600 to 700 small bomblets, or “bombies,” as they are often called in Laos. There are now close to 78 million unexploded bomblets littering rice fields, villages, school grounds, roads and other populated areas in Laos, hindering development and poverty reduction.
How many landmines are in Laos?
About one third of Laos remains contaminated with UXO left behind from the Vietnam War, including about 80 million cluster munitions.
Is there still unexploded ordnance in Vietnam?
During the Vietnam War, the Americans wanted to stop the enemy in Vietnam from getting supplies through Laos, so they began the nine-year long air bombardment. More than 270 million submunitions were dropped and 80 million of these are believed to remain unexploded on the ground.