Bolivia recovering from heavy rain and flooding by Frances Runnalls
Bolivia is assessing the damage caused by heavy rain and flooding over the past few weeks. At the start of the week the country's president Evo Morales declared a state of emergency as a result of the rain, which has been lashing the country since November.
The rain has hit seven of Bolivia's nine provinces, causing 30 deaths and displacing around 25,000 people. Flooding has been particularly severe in Santa Cruz, Beni and Cochabamba, where a number of highways have been completely wiped out by the heavy rain.
The downpours have also caused an estimated $30 million (US) in financial losses; damaging more than 10,000 hectares of crops. Many homes have been destroyed by mudslides in the city of La Paz, after heavy rain pounded the city.
The heavy rain has been attributed to the La Nina weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean which has exacerbated Bolivia's rainy season. During a period of La Nina, the surface temperature of the central Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 0.5C.
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