Bolivia – Floods in Cochabamba and La Paz Departments After Rivers Overflow

by in Americas, News

Heavy rain has caused flooding in several parts of Bolivia over the last few days, in particular in the departments of Cochabamba and La Paz.

Cochabamba Department

Civil Defence reported flooding in the municipalities of Cercado, Colcapirhua, Villa Tunari and Tiquipaya in Cochabamba Department from 17 January 2021. Around 2,700 families are thought to be affected.

Flooding came after heavy rain caused rivers to overflow, including the Taquiña River. Damage was reported to homes, infrastructure and crops. Some families have evacuated their homes, mostly in Villa Tunari. One person died in floods in Cercado.

La Paz Department

Meanwhile heavy rain also caused the Mapiri and Tipuani rivers to break their banks on 18 January, flooding the town of Guanay in Larecaja province in northern La Paz Department.

Videos shared on Social Media by the city’s mayor showed wide areas of the city completely inundated.

Flood Alerts for Tarija, Cochabamba, Beni and La Paz

On 17 January Bolivia’s National Meteorology and Hydrology Service (Senamhi) issued a red alert for overflowing rivers and floods in the departments of Tarija, Cochabamba, Beni and La Paz.

Vice Minister of Civil Defense, Juan Carlos Calvimontes, said that so far this year approximately 13,000 families have been affected by severe weather incidents, with fatalities reported in Cochabamba and Sucre, where a short period of torrential rain and hail during the afternoon of 04 January 2021 caused severe flash flooding.

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