Natar-Yai Village Learns to Adapt with Floods

Big floods happened in 1997, 2011, 2019, 2021, and most recently in 2025, mostly due to tropical storms like Wipha. Each time, the community has learned more about how to prepare and respond better.

This year, the villagers received an early warning on 21 July, two days before the flood came. The message was sent through mobile phones, loudspeakers and family heads to family members and neighbors as well. It was clear and easy to understand. The village head and local monitored the situation and quickly informed all households and asked them to get ready to evacuate.

Families helped each other. Persons with disabilities and children were moved first to safe places. Some people stayed with relatives, while others went to the village temple, village office, and other household spaces, where are available in the village nearby. There is no official shelter in the village, so families relied on each other for support. The temple in the village was also flooded, the monks also relocated to nearby temple.

A woman from the village said, “In 2021, the flood was worse. This time, early warning and good preparation helped us stay safe.”

Still, the flood caused problems. One person was hurt. Many families lost important items like washing machines, kitchen tools, clothes, and cabinets. The flood came at night, which made it hard to manage the evacuation.

The military and police came to help on time to evacuate people and important assets. They also assisted in cleaning houses and moving heavy items during the flooding period and after water level went down. On the second day, when the water level went down, the Prime Minister visited the village. His visit gave hope and confidence to the people. All affected villages received 10 million per villages for assisting emergency support, Nator-Yai village also got the same support. Families still need more help, especially rice, seedling, and household items to restart their lives. Some areas still need debris removal.

In recent years, villagers received training on flood response from the government and development partners. But they say more is needed. They ask for better managed evacuation shelters, stronger riverbanks embankment protection, ongoing training to stay safe and potentially relocate to new location, where are safety and aways from flooded.  

With each flood, Nator-Yai becomes stronger and more prepared. Their story shows how local efforts, early warnings, and community support can save lives. As climate change brings more extreme weather, villages like Nator-Yai need more support to stay ready and resilient.

The story is written by Sanjay Pariyar, Climate and Disaster Resilient Development Specialist, UN Resident Coordinator's Office/UNDRR, Lao PDR.