This situation report is based on information received from the Office of the Resident Coordinator, UN Agencies, the Bolivian Government, the UN Emergency Technical Team (UNETT) in Bolivia and OCHA Regional Office in Panama.
HIGHLIGHTS
Severe flooding in Bolivia that began in November 2007 has affected more than 25.981 families and killed 36 people, according to government figures. The most affected departments include Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca, Potosi and Beni.
Joint field assessment teams have taken place in La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and Chuquisaca.
The main needs identified are food and non-food items (blankets, mattresses, hygiene kits, sheets, etc), shelter, water and sanitation, protection and health.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
1. Severe flooding in Bolivia that began in November 2007 has affected more than 25.981 families and killed 36 people, according to government figures. The most affected departments include Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca, Potosi and Beni. The emergency is still at its initial phase. However, according to the national Hydrology Institute (SNHN), the river levels, particularly in the Amazonian watershed, will exceed 2007 floods levels, generating an approximate increase of .50 cm to a meter above 2007 recorded figures. As the experiences of 2006 and 2007 have shown, waters will flow in large waves from the highland to Beni and Pando in approximately two weeks and a month respectively. Thus, it is expected that waters could cover the lowlands up to early April. The situation is being closely monitored in Beni. The Government, with the support of the UN and other international partners, is taking immediate measures.
2. The Civil Defense started assessing the situation and according to their preliminary reports of the affected zones and number of families affected, the heavy rains have caused 35 casualties, while 3 people are missing and some 25,981 families are affected.
3. The following chart shows the latest figures provided by the Civil Defense:
|
Department
|
# of families affected
|
| Beni |
915
|
| Chuquisaca |
4, 271
|
| Cochabamba |
8, 414
|
| La Paz |
2, 940
|
| Oruro |
805
|
| Pando |
31
|
| Potosi |
2, 426
|
| Santa Cruz |
5, 530
|
| Tarija |
649
|
|
Total
|
25,981
|
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.