The effects of the rains are suffered in eight of the nine departments of the country, while 45 municipalities were declared in disaster and 190 are facing more or less degree of affectation. | Photo: Bolivia Prensa

La Paz, February 9 (RHC)-- The Government of Bolivia reports that heavy rains in the country in the last three months have caused the death of 27 people and the disappearance of 14 others, and warned about the setbacks caused by a second stage of rainfall in the country.

"We are going through for two weeks a second stage of the rainy season, which is stronger in its intensity, worrying because it is higher than last year," said at a press conference the Deputy Minister of Civil Defense, Juan Carlos Calvimontes.

The authorities have specified that the effects of the rains are being suffered in eight of the nine departments of the country, where "45 municipalities have already been declared in disaster and 190 municipalities are with a greater or lesser degree of affectation."

The number of victims reported by the defense agency does not include deaths caused by traffic accidents on highways, which occurred as a result of landslides and landslides caused by rainfall.    "We have 1,594 communities that have been affected and the saddest thing is that they belong to the poorest people, and of these 1,594 communities, 530 are in the department of La Paz", remarked Juan Carlos Calvimontes.

According to the authority, this department is the most affected because of the 21,463 families affected in the national territory, 3,650 are in that region.  "Then we have 50,541 heads of cattle affected, of which 35,300 correspond to La Paz and Santa Cruz has (only) 11,221; (which means) that in Santa Cruz they have managed to have mechanisms to protect their cattle, especially", said the vice-minister of Civil Defense.

The rainy season in Bolivia lasts from November to March, with a peak in February, according to government authorities.