Climate Crisis in Bolivia: Rising Death Toll from Floods and Landslides
Image of the houses affected by the floods in Bolivia Feb 13, 2025 Photo: Prensa Latina
February 13, 2025 Hour: 8:28 pm
Currently, 29,404 families have been directly affected, and another 86,803 have been indirectly impacted by the severe weather.
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South America at the Crossroads of Climate Change: Floods and Fires Mark the Current Crisis
The Bolivian government has reported a alarming increase in the number of victims due to intense rains that have battered the country since November 2024. According to Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Juan Carlos Calvimontes, the death toll has risen from 23 to 27, with one person missing, amid a crisis that has affected eight regions of the country.
Calvimontes detailed that, to date, eight departments have been impacted, with 27 municipalities declared disaster zones. Of these, 22 are in La Paz, where severe damage has been recorded. In total, 1,443 communities have suffered the consequences of torrential rains and subsequent flooding.
Among the recent fatalities are three men swept away by the current of the Ichilo River in the Tropics of Cochabamba, which has seen a significant rise in water levels due to the rainfall.
Official data indicates that Cochabamba has been the hardest-hit region, with eleven deaths, followed by La Paz with seven, Chuquisaca with five, Tarija with two, and one in Potosí. Additionally, one person is reported missing in Sucre after being swept away by a river.
The deputy minister announced that an aerial operation is being organized to locate the missing person, underscoring the urgency of the situation. Currently, 29,404 families have been directly affected, and another 86,803 have been indirectly impacted by the severe weather.
The damage figures are equally concerning: 665 homes have been reported as damaged and 333 completely destroyed. To address this crisis, the government has deployed 2,847 military personnel across the eight affected regions to respond to 23 rain-related incidents.
In response to the emergency, the government has delivered 73 tons of humanitarian aid to 4,450 families in indigenous communities in Santa Cruz, with an approximate investment of 870,307 bolivianos (125,044 dollars).
The climate situation in Bolivia has prompted the National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (Senamhi) to issue two orange alerts: one hydrological for river overflows in eight regions and another for rising temperatures in Chuquisaca and Tarija, where at least eight municipalities are expected to exceed 41 degrees Celsius (105°F).
Autor: MLM
Fuente: EFE
