BOGOTA/ISTANBUL

Bolivia declared a national emergency Wednesday after weeks of flooding caused by torrential rains left dozens dead and affected thousands of families.

In a statement to the press, President Luis Arce said 51 people have lost their lives and 378,885 families have been negatively affected by floods and landslides caused by heavy rains since November.

Arce said they declared a national emergency in order to use technical, logistical and economic facilities more effectively in the regions affected by floods.

Noting there was serious material damage in 209 towns in nine regions of the country, Arce said that more than 4,000 personnel have participated in the fight against natural disasters and 234 tons of humanitarian aid have been delivered so far to those in need.

According to local media, a downpour in the city of La Paz over the past few months has caused many houses to collapse.

The Bolivian Senate last week approved a $75 million loan from the Latin American and Caribbean Development Bank to respond to emergencies caused by natural disasters, including rains and floods.