Bolivia's heavy rains cause river to flood homes near La Paz
LA PAZ, Bolivia, Nov 24 (Reuters) -Heavy rainfall in Bolivia over Saturday night caused the Pasajahuira river to overflow, flooding the neighborhood of Bajo Llojeta on the outskirts of La Paz and leaving many people trapped in their homes awaiting rescue teams.
"There was screaming and terrible desperation," Bajo Llojeta's municipal president, Julieta Clavijo, told Reuters.
"A 4-year-old girl is missing and her parents are desperate. People had to leave their houses through the roofs because there was no other way to get out because the mud was already too deep," Clavijo said.
Civil defense vice minister Juan Carlos Calvimontes confirmed that rescue teams were searching for a young girl.
At least 26 people have been injured and more than 40 houses damaged by the flood, according to local authorities. Some 300 military personnel were deployed to help evacuate residents and clean up the area.
President Luis Arce also visited the community and vowed to carry out "all the work necessary" the restore the area and open an investigation into the causes of the disaster.
"It cannot remain like this," he said.
"My house is flooded and the mud keeps rising," said local resident Andrea Quispe. "We need more help, more equipment, this help is not enough. We still have time to save my house but no one is helping me."
Heavy rainfall aggravated by late-season tropical storms has also ravaged Central America, cutting off entire communities in Honduras and destroying swathes of Costa Rica's coffee crop.
Reporting by Sergio Limachi and Santiago Limachi; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Leslie Adler
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
