Bolivia declares national disaster after weeks of rain by Steph Ball
Bolivia’s president declared a national disaster on Tuesday after weeks of torrential rain sparked widespread floods across the country.
The unseasonal storms which have been lashing the country since early January, have left thousands of people homeless and up to 60 dead. Run off from the mountains has brought severe floods across the eastern lowlands destroying homes and roads.
February is summer in South America and although Bolivia is experiencing its rainy season, La Niña and global warming are both being blamed for exacerbating the storms across the country to devastating effect. Studies into global warming have indicated that a warming of air temperatures will give rise to more severe storm episodes across the globe. With the main blame for global warming being attributed to the developing nations, Bolivia’s president is calling on them to pay an ecological debt.
This is the second straight year that Bolivia has been affected by devastating floods and it is estimated that this season’s rainfall may end up exceeding last years by as much as 500-1000mm (20-40 inches). To compare, the average total rainfall in La Paz from December to March would normally equate to nearer 250mm (10 inches).
Bolivia is not alone in its suffering; the last few weeks have also seen torrential rains and widespread flooding across northern Argentina and into southern Ecuador. At the end of January, Ecuador’s government was also forced to declare a state of emergency.
|
|
