The death toll in Bolivia from massive floods caused by the overflowing Piraí River in the eastern Santa Cruz region has risen to 20. Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Alfredo Troche said on Monday that this figure is likely to increase as rescue teams reach previously inaccessible areas, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
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According to authorities, at least two dozen people are missing, and intense rains have left hundreds of families homeless. Troche clarified that about 2,100 families have been affected, and at least 300 people have been rescued by helicopter.
Heavy rains began early Saturday. Videos show a bridge over the river collapsing under the pressure of floodwaters, while crews with heavy equipment work to clear debris.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, who took office last month, met with experts to assess the situation.
He criticized previous administrations for insufficient emergency preparedness and pointed to widespread deforestation over the past two decades as a factor exacerbating the effects of the floods.
Meteorologists warn that heavy rainfall in the Amazon basin is the result of the combined effects of the El Niño and La Niña weather phenomena.