Attachments
What happened, where and when?
On 27 February, the level of the Acre river in the department of Pando (bordering Brazil) exceeded 17 meters, surpassing its historical maximum and resulting in the flooding of 16 urban sectors and 3 rural communities (Bajo Acre, Bajo Virtudes and Velmonte) in the municipality of Cobija, capital of the department.
On February 28, the Autonomous Municipal Government declared a disaster situation (Decree No. 06/2024) as a result of the floods that would have led to the displacement and loss of property and livelihood of at least 3,710 people.
Following the declaration of the Municipality of Cobija, the Departmental Government of Pando declared on February 29 the Flood Emergency (Decree No. 03/2024) in order to advance in the activation of the Emergency Operating Committees and implementation of contingency plans in view of the imminent risk of floods due to the unusual increase in the level of the rivers of the department, as well as the need to support the emergencies in the municipalities of Cobija and Santos Mercado.
As per the National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology (SENHAMI), there has been a gradual decrease in the water level since February 29, prompting some families to take the risk of leaving shelters to initiate the recovery process for their homes.
Simultaneously, the National Government's Joint Command of Response to Adverse Events, in collaboration with the Amazon Strategic Operational Command and the Sixth Naval District "Pando," has deployed 279 military personnel to engage in post-flood activities. These efforts aim to assist the population by cleaning houses and streets in the municipality. It is anticipated that in the upcoming days, as the water level continues to decrease, progress will be made in assessing the damage to at least 300 homes that have been completely inundated.
SENAMHI's rainfall forecasts for various regions of Bolivia have raised concerns among authorities regarding potential repercussions if the waters of the main departmental rivers continue to rise. According to the Vice-Ministry of Civil Defense, between November 2023 and February 2024, at least 44 individuals have lost their lives, and 31,000 families have been affected by the rains. Additionally, SENHAMI has issued a red hydrological alert for river flooding in the departments of Pando and La Paz, and an orange alert in the Departments of Beni,
Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, and Oruro based on the rainfall predictions for the forthcoming days