- Title: BOLIVIA: Landslides plague the country as rainy season gets underway
- Date: 31st December 2011
- Summary: EL ALTO, BOLIVIA (DECEMBER 29, 2011) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF LANDSLIDE CAUSED BY INTENSE RAIN NEAR THE BORDER OF LA PAZ AND EL ALTO VARIOUS OF LANDSLIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) AREA RESIDENT, GERMAN IBARNEGARAY, SAYING:"The mayor's office, the central and departmental governments should be mobilized all year to be able to take care of the requirements in the areas affected by the rainy seasons." THE LANDSLIDE VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS WHO COULD BE EVACUATED FROM THEIR HOMES VARIOUS OF HEAVY MACHINERY WORKING IN THE AREA VARIOUS OF DAMAGE FROM LANDSLIDES (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) AREA RESIDENT, FILOMENA CHUQUIMIA, SAYING: "We are really sad and bothered with Mayor Edgar Patana who has not showed up here."
- Embargoed: 15th January 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Bolivia, Plurinational State Of
- Country: Bolivia
- Topics: Disasters,Environment
- Reuters ID: LVA8QNRZZ5PA5P65E5IXJ6G1AYIY
- Story Text: Intense rain in La Paz and other Bolivian regions have caused a number of landslides this week as one of the most intense rainy seasons on record continues to dump water throughout much of the country.
Slopes near the residential area between La Paz and the city of El Alto became dislodged Thursday (December 29) worrying many residents here who could soon be forced from their homes if the rain does not let up.
One area resident, German Ibarnegaray called on the government to do more.
"The mayor's office, the central and departmental governments should be mobilized all year to be able to take care of the requirements in the areas affected by the rainy seasons," Ibarnegaray said.
Some 80 homes in the Alpacoma neighbourhood could be evacuated it the forecast does not brighten, which the national weather service said is unlikely for this weekend which is expected to be soggy.
Another resident, Filomena Chuquimia criticized El Alto Mayor Edgar Patana for not visiting the area.
"We are really sad and bothered with Mayor Edgar Patana who has not showed up here," Chuquimia said.
The unrelenting rain has flooded small villages and the government has warned people in the low-lying tropical areas of Cochabamba to evacuate before the weekend.
The storms have also damaged highways and bridges throughout eight provinces.
In Los Yungas a bus got stuck in the mud forcing passengers to walk along side the damaged road.
The heavier than usual rainy season is attributed to the La Nina weather phenomenon which has been linked to unusual weather events across the globe. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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