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Bolivia

As heavy rains continue to lash Bolivia, JICA sends emergency aid

As the worst rains in nearly three decades lashed Bolivia, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced it was dispatching emergency supplies to the stricken South American country as soon as possible.

Tents, blankets and plastic sheeting were being sent from JICA's warehouse in Miami to the capital La Paz Friday (February 1) to help some of the estimated 192,000 people directly affected by the rains, officials said.

At least 39 people have already been killed and five are missing during the rains which began in December, are already the heaviest in nearly three decades and show little sign of stopping.

The soybean, corn and cotton crops of some 100,000 farmers have been wiped out, thousands of acres of lowland agricultural areas were flooded and tens of thousands of cattle drowned, causing tens of millions of dollars damage.

Rivers have broken out of their banks and road and air links were disrupted. The government declared a national emergency and because of the chaotic conditions dispatched some emergency supplies by river boat and helicopter.

Health officials reported sharp increases in cases of malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever, diseases spread by mosquitoes that thrive in flood areas.

Among those worst affected people were some ethnic Japanese communities whose forebears emigrated to Bolivia and other Latin American countries in the early 20th century.

In recent months, several Latin American, Central American and Caribbean nations have been hit by natural disasters and as part of the national Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) system, JICA has assisted in both emergency and reconstruction assistance there.

JDR, which assists in natural disasters around the world, marked its 20th anniversary in September, 2007.