Snowfall devastates Bolivian communities, impacting 26,000 families

Heavy snowfall across western Bolivia has left 26,220 families and 323 communities in distress, primarily in the southwestern Andean region of Potosí. The viceminister of Civil Defense, Roberto Rivero, reported that Uyuni, famous for its salt flats and lithium reserves, is severely impacted, with 8,364 families affected and 750 camelids dead.

The snow has disrupted the tourist circuit around the Uyuni salt flats and the Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve. Recent rescues included three American tourists trapped for over 30 hours near Laguna Colorada and two French citizens assisted by the Army in Quetena. In Villazón, near the Argentine border, 85,000 head of livestock are at risk, and 55,000 hectares of pasture have been damaged.

Civil Defense has identified urgent needs including fodder for livestock, veterinary supplies, food, heavy machinery for road repairs, blankets, and support for agricultural infrastructure. The Potosí regional government has declared a state of emergency. The national government is also investigating the death of a woman in Oruro who was killed by a falling tree due to the snow. Several road sections remain closed, including the route between Urujara and La Cumbre, and the road from Unduavi to Chulumani, due to infrastructure damage.