- Title: BOLIVIA: Widespread flooding affects over 100,000 in rural provinces
- Date: 8th February 2010
- Summary: VARIOUS OF CHILDREN INSIDE FLOODED HOUSE VARIOUS OF VEHICLES ON FLOODED HIGHWAY VARIOUS OF FLOOD AROUND FENCE CHILDREN AT DOOR OF HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FLOOD VICTIM, MARIA MODESTA YARARI, SAYING: "The water came in on January 31 when the river's banks broke so we have been flooded like this since then."
- Embargoed: 23rd February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA4LG331M10JUV9M0M30SVNXONV
- Story Text: Widespread flooding in Bolivia leaves over 100,000 residents displaced and others underwater for over a week.
Four Bolivian provinces declared a state of emergency after 12 people were killed and more than 100,000 displaced by raging flood waters.
Here in the western province of Beni, 28,000 families have been affected by flooding from the Ibare River, an Amazon River tributary that broke its banks and swamped the area.
Maria Modesta Yarai lives In the rural village of Puerto Almacen (all-mah-SEHN) and she said the flood waters have consistently remained high.
"The water came in on January 31 when the river's banks broke so we have been flooded like this since then," said one victim, Maria Modesta Yarari.
The floods have caused major crop damage and residents in this agrarian community expressed health-related concerns not only about themselves, but also about their animals.
"The animals are suffering alongside their owners," Yarari continued. "A lot of people have tried to take their pigs to higher ground. You have to sacrifice. We are having problems with our feet, with fungal infections because we are in the water all the time."
Many residents have escaped to higher ground, like at this local school where they set-up makeshift tents to wait for the water to recede.
"We came to the school because we couldn't find rooms anywhere else. Here at least we can stay in the hallway," said Nidian Najaya while setting up her tent with her children.
Residents in Puerto Almacen fear the waters will rise even further however when rain falling further upstream makes its way down the mountains. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.
