A drone view shows the Kellumani river overflowing due to heavy rains in the Chijipata area, in La Paz, Bolivia March 9, 2024. REUTERS
LA PAZ — Heavy rain in Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, prompted authorities to declare a state of emergency, a government document showed on Sunday, after overflowing rivers destroyed many houses over the weekend.
Bolivian President Luis Arce pledged to send heavy machinery and 3,000 troops to prevent further damage, according to the document.
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Heavy rains caused flooding in several neighborhoods and isolated parts of the city by cutting water, electricity and roads.
“We are deeply concerned by the difficult situation that our municipality in La Paz is going through,” Arce said in a post on social media platform X.
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One person died over the weekend in La Paz because of the heavy rains, while nearly 50 people have died in deluges across the country since the rainy season began in January, according to official data.