Thousands of Bolivians affected by floods and landslides

[News_Editor]

Thousands of Bolivians affected by floods and landslides

2011-02-28 05:24:39 GMT+7 (ICT)

LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least 4,000 people on Saturday were affected after a landslide caused by heavy rains destroyed homes in several neighborhoods in the Kupini II area in the Bolivian city of La Paz, Los Tiempos newspaper reported.

Authorities said this is one of the worst landslides in recent times, and President Evo Morales has ordered the deployment of armed forces to give assistance to the people affected. Temporary tents will be installed for the families.

A preliminary report of the Civil Defense states that between 11 January and 11 February, the number of homeless families have reached a total of 10,995. More than 40 municipalities in the departments of Cochabamba, La Paz, Santa Cruz, Pando, Chuquisaca, Oruro, Beni and Potosí have suffered the consequences of floods, including the loss of crops and livestock.

On Saturday, six people died when a minibus fell into a raging river after a bridge collapsed. According to La Razón newspaper, the death toll so far is of 62 people, while the Civil Defense is reporting 45 deaths caused by the intense rains.

The Bolivian government declared a national emergency and earmarked $20 million dollars to address the disaster.

Tens of villages remain under water and roads remain blocked in the east and west of the country due to heavy rains that has been particularly severe as a result of the climatic phenomenon of La Niña.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-02-28

[brahmburgers]

Sincerely sorry to hear that. Much the same is happening in countries worldwide which suffer from the following problems:

>>>>> too many people

>>>>> poor infrastructure and planning

>>>>> deforestation

We hear headlines about people getting inundated, but the many animals and plants which get wiped out, don't make the headlines. When people build shacks on top of fresh garbage dumps (as happens in the Philippines) and places marketplaces upon active train tracks (as happens in Thailand), then you know overpopulation is in full stride.