(Cobija) Incessant rains which have fallen on Bolivia since December, having caused a total of 40 deaths, have partly submerged the town of Cobija in the north of the country, without however causing any casualties.
The Acre River has burst its banks, the water has reached the roofs of houses and residents are moving in canoes through the streets, AFP noted.
“We have not recorded any deaths, but we have some 300 houses completely flooded,” said Ana Lucia Reis, mayor of Cobija, 100,000 inhabitants, located on the border between Peru and Brazil, 280 meters above sea level, on Thursday. above sea level.
The level at the Friendship Bridge, which connects Cobija to Brasileia, Brazil, reached 17 meters, exceeding the level recorded in 2015 of 15.5 meters, according to the Bolivian Risk Management Unit.
“It’s a record we didn’t think we’d break. We have sixteen neighborhoods completely flooded. There are families who have lost everything,” she added.
According to studies by the private Tierra Foundation, Bolivia experienced a drought period of approximately six months, leading to a period of rain concentrated in a short period.
Data from the meteorological service indicates that since 1980, precipitation has fallen by 36% during the dry months, from August to October, but in 2023 drought has hit Bolivia until the first days of December.