Bolivia declares a state of emergency as the El Niño weather pattern affects the country, prompting the government to free up resources to respond to drought and flooding. Multiple outlets report that President Rodrigo Paz announces the decree to address the impacts expected under the phenomenon.
Coverage highlights the scale and geographic spread of the damage. Al Jazeera and Channel NewsAsia both cite a government figure that drought affects 78,000 families, with Channel NewsAsia adding that it is concentrated in six of Bolivia’s nine departments. Al Jazeera further reports livestock losses, saying more than 75,000 cattle have died.
Outlets also emphasize different operational steps. Free Malaysia Today and Inquirer.net focus on the decree’s call for deploying more rescue teams to hard-hit areas. Inquirer.net adds that the president frames the emergency as part of a broader need for cooperation among institutions while noting Bolivia faces both flooding and drought.
