LA PAZ, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Most of Bolivia is on alert due to torrential rains that have left 85 percent of its municipalities at risk of flooding and other natural disasters, Deputy Civil Defense Minister Juan Carlos Calvimontes warned Sunday.
With the alert activated Sunday in all of the nine departments of the South American country, the government urged local authorities to be prepared to respond to possible emergencies.
Of the country's 340 municipalities, 279 are on "orange alert" and 10 are on "red alert," highlighting the scale of the meteorological phenomenon, Calvimontes told journalists.
Orange warns of potential impact on residents and infrastructure, while red confirms the presence of such impacts and warns of their potential significant damage.
Already, heavy downpours have claimed around 30 lives since November. The latest three fatalities occurred this weekend in the Achocalla municipality in the La Paz department after intense rains sparked a mudslide.
The Civil Defense has deployed an immediate reaction team to provide humanitarian aid to regions that require it. ■
