Flooding, landslides and even hail have tormented Bolivia during its rainy season. Now, homes are flooded, pastures and crop fields are underwater, and graves have been exhumed by the torrential downpours. At least 55 people have died, and 590,000 families have been affected.

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Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently amid rising sea-levels and increasing temperatures.

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Bolivia is grappling with severe flooding, landslides, and hail, affecting countless homes, pastures, and crop fields. At least 55 individuals have lost their lives, and 590,000 families have suffered due to the harsh weather conditions brought on by a prolonged rainy season. The relentless downpours have particularly impacted rural areas, where numerous families have been forced to abandon their homes and seek refuge in makeshift shelters.

In urban areas, the floods have created dire situations, as depicted by families striving to maintain normal life amid extreme conditions. Waterlogged homes and communities have created significant challenges, particularly when it comes to preserving family traditions, such as cooking meals. For many, remaining in their flooded homes is not a viable option, and they have sought temporary shelter by roadsides.

In the region of La Paz, the unrelenting rainstorms have caused additional distress by partially collapsing a cemetery, exhuming graves and exposing the remains of deceased family members. This has forced some families to confront emotional and health-related challenges as they attempt to manage the implications of this disruption.

The rural Beni province has experienced severe agricultural setbacks, with cattle and other livestock suffering in the flooded fields. Farmers are struggling to move animals to higher ground, while also contending with threats from displaced wildlife. Furthermore, the flooding has negatively affected beef and produce production, with repercussions felt both locally and internationally.

The Bolivian government has declared a national emergency in response to these conditions and is actively seeking assistance. However, with more rain anticipated, the future remains uncertain as citizens brace themselves and await the recession of floodwaters, hoping to rebuild in the aftermath.



Bolivia hit with intense, deadly flooding

The nation of Bolivia has experienced some of the heaviest rainfall in decades, drowning farmland, displacing families and killing dozens of people. CNN's Patrick Oppen has more. Water surrounds this house, flooding in from every direction. But life must go on. This woman stands on a wooden plank as she cooks for her family, the alternative to soaked feet and jeans. For others, staying isn't an option. Makeshift shelters line the side of this road, the closest thing to respite for families displaced by the floodwater. That's what we have to do, leave our houses, because every day the water rises. Bolivia's intense rainy season has brought with it floods, landslides, even hail. Here at this La Paz cemetery, mourning families face the grief of death all over again. Torrential rainfall caused a partial collapse, leaving coffins and even bodies vulnerable. My daughter and mother-in-law are buried here, this woman says. Families forced to exhume their loved ones, risking contamination and reopening emotional wounds. And in rural Beni province, cattle barely keeping their heads above water. Wading through what was once pasture, herders leading them to higher ground, among the last of the dry patches. My cattle are suffering and the animals are very thin. Plus there are a lot of snakes and tigers in that flooded area because the mountains are high. We have a lot of losses, money spent and loss of cattle. Now produce and beef production have both taken hits, a problem for both overseas markets and local prices. But it's more than inconvenience. Since November, floods have killed dozens of Bolivians and affected hundreds of thousands of families. And more rain is forecast in the next week. A national emergency has been declared and assistance requested. But where the floodwaters eventually recede, Bolivians will be left to pick up the pieces. Patrick Oppmann, CNN.

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