The government in Bolivia has officially declared there to be a natural disaster with more than 58,000 families affected by heavy flooding.
Despite rising water levels across the country due to sustained and frequent rainfall, many families are still refusing to be evacuated and are now totally cut off from surrounding areas.
Of those who have been rescued and taken to camps, hundreds are suffering from waterbourne diseases and acute diarrhoea.
An estimated 52 people have died, eight are missing and more than 616,000 hectares of crops destroyed as rivers burst their banks.
Caused by the 'La Niña' climate phenomenon, Plan has already released US$20,000 to help those affected and is now applying for funds from the United Nations' Flash Appeal to continue to provide assistance.
The region most affected is Beni, but water levels are starting to drop in the city of Trinidad. Camps are already reporting 10 cases of dengue fever, 5 of leptospirosis, 538 of acute diarrhoea and 501 acute respiratory infections with medical attention, fumigation, clothes and tents considered an urgent priority.
Plan does not work in Beni, but has communities in Santa Cruz which is also badly affected. Here the rivers burst their banks and thousands of stranded families were evacuated to camps and shelters. Around 100 families from three communities are refusing to leave their homes despite rising waters.
The largest camp is in Los Troncos where hundreds of children are living in sub-standard, overcrowded conditions where respiratory diseases, mosquitoes and flies are rife with poor waste disposal facilities available.
The shelters are improvised and although the municipality has distributed mattresses and food rations, it is not enough.
In other areas where communities have lost their crops, Plan is organising support for food security and rehabilitation in Icla Zudañez, Mojocoya and Yamparaez de Chuqisaca and Betanzos and Puna in Potosí.
Plan areas/districts affected:
Santa Cruz - 1,619 Plan families have been flooded., with 18,686 affected in total. Here 79% of roads are affected with most impassable, and vast areas of farmland is now under water. More than 5,500 people, of who 3,300 are children, have been moved to special shelters and camps where the World Food Programme is providing meals.
Chuquisaca - 488 Plan families affected - in total 4,272 are in difficulties. Here people are being supplied with three-months worth of food with people living in rural areas particularly in need. Around 2,500 hectares of farmland has been damaged and homes have been swept away. In the Zudañez province, hailstorms, flash flood, severe floods, freezing temperature and animal plagues have caused devastation among communities.
Potosí - 711 Plan families have been flooded, with 2,426 in total. The main priority here is supplying three-months worth of food. Hailstorms and heavy rains have destroyed agricultural land.
Tarija - 17 Plan families affected with 766 in total. Damage has been caused to homes and communities here after the Pilcomayo River overflowed. There are currently 4,000 people isolated in the north-east part of the area.
In other departments, 12,826 people have been flooded in Beni - where the government has declared a state of emergency - 9,605 in Cochabamba and 5,369 in La Paz.
The money will go towards food, with pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five-years old treated as a priority.
Mattresses, blankets, clothing, treated mosquito nets, school materials, hygiene kits, water tanks and medical attention are also all urgent needs.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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