VIENTIANE, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government has expressed gratitude to the international community for the care, courage and help extended promptly to the government and Lao people, more specifically to flood victims in southern Attapeu province.

"All the Lao people are extremely grateful for such kindness," Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said in an address to the closing ceremony of the cabinet monthly meeting on Tuesday.

According to Lao News Agency (KPL) report on Wednesday, the meeting also expressed thanks to all the Lao people across the country to be so concerned about the dam tragedy and have devoted in kind and physically to sincerely help the victims.

On July 23, a saddle dam of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydroelectric power project, invested by South Korean, Thai and Lao companies, burst, unleashing flood water from the mountain to 13 villages of Sanamxay district downstream the Xe Pian River, some 560 km southeast of Vientiane.

Six villages were almost submerged by the muddy flood with 13,000 villagers being affected. Till Wednesday, 35 people have been confirmed dead, 96 remained missing in the accident.