BOLIVIA-WEATHER/COLLAPSE Heavy rains destroy hill houses in Bolivia

Record ID: 216633

  • Title: BOLIVIA-WEATHER/COLLAPSE Heavy rains destroy hill houses in Bolivia
  • Date: 10th February 2015
  • Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (FEBRUARY 10, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DESTROYED HOMES LOCAL FAMILY WHOSE HOME WAS DAMAGED OFFICERS AT SITE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MUNICIPAL SECRETARY FOR RISK MANAGEMENT IN LA PAZ, VLADIMIR TORO, SAYING: "It's a geodynamic problem that brought on the total destruction of eight houses. What we're doing according to protocol is to recover goods that are bro
  • Embargoed: 25th February 2015 12:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA344NC7WWYQ3ALIM2CLOJZ75BG
  • Story Text: Torrential rains in La Paz have caused homes on the slope of a hill in the Bolivian city to collapse, leaving families without shelter and burying belongings under mud and debris.
    According to local media, on Tuesday (February 10), some eight homes collapsed in the Ventilla neighbourhood in southern La Paz but no fatalities were reported. Residents who were evacuated returned to their properties to salvage what they could before their homes are completely lost under the loose earth.
    Vladimir Toro, the municipal secretary for risk management in La Paz, told media that government officials have joined in efforts to rescue belongings before at-risk homes are demolished.
    "It's a geodynamic problem that brought on the total destruction of eight houses. What we're doing according to protocol is to recover goods that are brought by families. We're recovering goods, tomorrow we will continue with the second phase of the protocol which is to remove all the building materials that are recoverable and then to undergo a controlled demolition," he said.
    Residents rushed back to their homes fearing imminent collapse down the hill.
    "This morning my sister called and told me that that house was falling. I was in hospital and I came running. When I arrived it was completely destroyed. I told my sister that we should take everyone from the house because later it could be worse. Now here I am stuck without a home," said local resident Estela Mamani.
    In these simple homes of La Paz, others were found taking whatever building materials they could use to construct a new home.
    "We are taking precautions and removing good materials. It took some 60, 70 years of marriage for my parents to get this (home) and we're also taking the items of value that my brother had at his house," said resident Adolfo Cruz.
    With La Paz perched at about 3,600 metres (11,900 feet) above sea level, collapsing homes during heavy rains are common in a city surrounded by hills covered with poor suburbs.
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