The dam collapse occurred around 8pm[7] on Monday 23 July, in Sanamxay district, and caused immediate flash flooding through the villages[1] of Yai Thae, Hinlad, Mai, Thasengchan, Tha Hin, and Samong.[7] Homes, roads and bridges were swept away.[10] The portion of the dam that collapsed was reported to be a saddle dam, described as " an auxiliary structure used to hold water beyond what is held by the main dam".[2] The CEO of one of the companies involved stated that "[it] was fractured and the water had leaked to the downstream area and down to the Xe-Pian River which is about five kilometres from the dam".[11] The amount of water released by the collapse was reported to have been in the region of 5 billion cubic meters, the equivalent, Sky News claimed, of "more than two million Olympic swimming pools".[2]