82% of Bolivian municipalities declared drought disaster in 2023

82% of Bolivian municipalities declared drought disaster in 2023. This represents 279 out of 342 Bolivian municipalities affected by lack of rainfall.

Despite the forest fire critical period not starting, 82,768 hectares are already burned. Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Juan Carlos Calvimontes made this assessment.

According to the official, the acute drought is attributed to climate change and has affected 248,962 families this year.

A government report indicated that the municipalities declaring a state of disaster are located in seven out of nine departments: Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Tarija, La Paz, Oruro, Santa Cruz, and Potosí.

Calvimontes acknowledged that the drought would significantly impact several regions of the country, prompting the government to implement a national plan to mitigate the consequences of this climatic phenomenon.

The meteorological information suggests that some regions will face a very tough year due to the lack of water.

The government launched an immediate response plan to the drought last year, allocating more than 122 million bolivianos (US$17.6 million) to ensure water for human consumption, animal consumption, and irrigation.

Moreover, Calvimontes indicated that this year, Santa Cruz (east) and Beni (northeast) departments have been the most affected by forest fires.

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