Bolivian President Luis Arce announced on Wednesday a national emergency in the country due to flooding caused by heavy rains that have persisted for five months, stating that “these natural disasters necessitate the declaration of a national emergency.”

The Amazon region in Beni and the Altiplano of Oruro are among the most affected areas, along with the provinces of Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca, and La Paz.

Since the beginning of the rainy season in late October, the floods have resulted in the deaths of 51 people and the disappearance of eight others, affecting approximately 325 families, with more than 800 homes destroyed.

The vital road network has also been impacted, and landslides and flooding have disrupted Internet services in many rural towns.