La Paz [Bolivia], February 15 (HBTV): The death toll from heavy rains in Bolivia since November last year has risen to 28, Vice Civil Defence Minister Juan Carlos Calvimontes said on Friday.

The rains have affected eight of the country's nine administrative divisions. ‘We are talking about 83 municipalities affected, and I am sure that within a week many of them will declare themselves in disaster,’ the official said at a press conference.

So far, 27 municipalities have declared a state of emergency, including 22 in La Paz, the hardest-hit region.

According to government reports, the deaths were caused by floods in the departments of Chuquisaca (south), La Paz (west), Tarija (south), Cochabamba (centre), Santa Cruz (east), and Potosi (southwest).

In addition, four people remain missing—three in the north of La Paz and one in Chuquisaca.

The National Meteorology and Hydrology Service has predicted that the rains will continue in the coming weeks, potentially lasting until March and April.

(ANI/WAM)