Bolivia declared a national emergency to organize help for drought and prepare for floods and other dangers linked to El Niño, as drought has affected more than 114,000 families, according to figures available on November 3.
President Rodrigo Paz signed the emergency decree on October 31. The decree allows the government to organize financial and staff resources. It also allows government bodies and international partners to coordinate their response.
The latest reported figures cover June 1 to October 29. They list 78,217 families as affected. They say 35,831 families suffered direct losses to their livelihoods or work activities.
The drought has affected 63 municipalities across six departments. Reports also list 1,486 communities as affected. A total of 167,511 hectares of farmland have also been reported affected.
Authorities reported that 60,106 hectares of crops were lost. They also reported that 75,013 livestock died during the prolonged dry conditions. The decree also covers risks from floods, rivers overflowing their banks, sudden floods, frost, hail and forest fires as the rainy season approaches.
El Niño can disrupt rainfall patterns. It can bring water shortages in some areas and heavy rain in others. Officials have urged institutions to coordinate their preparations.
The emergency is intended to improve assistance to affected communities. It is also intended to support a coordinated response. Flooding remains a risk, rather than an impact reported everywhere.