Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ621
2007-03-06 17:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:  

BOLIVIA FLOODING SITREP 7: MARCH 6, 2007

Tags:  EAID AMED ASUP CASC EAGR ECON PREL BL 
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VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #0621 0651749
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061749Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2725
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6607
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3928
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7816
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 5062
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 2298
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 2396
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3360
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4463
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4938
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 1614
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 9526
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0081
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0196
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS LA PAZ 000621 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
SAN JOSE FOR USAID/OFDA TIMOTHY CALLAGHAN
STATE PASS TO AID FOR DCHA/OFDA MILENA POPP, LAC/SA JEFF
BAKKEN, DCHA/FFP BARRY BURNETT
LIMA FOR DHS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AMED ASUP CASC EAGR ECON PREL BL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA FLOODING SITREP 7: MARCH 6, 2007

REF: LA PAZ 604

UNCLAS LA PAZ 000621

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
SAN JOSE FOR USAID/OFDA TIMOTHY CALLAGHAN
STATE PASS TO AID FOR DCHA/OFDA MILENA POPP, LAC/SA JEFF
BAKKEN, DCHA/FFP BARRY BURNETT
LIMA FOR DHS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AMED ASUP CASC EAGR ECON PREL BL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA FLOODING SITREP 7: MARCH 6, 2007

REF: LA PAZ 604


1. (U) Large parts of the departments of the Beni and Santa
Cruz remain affected by massive floods (reftel). Flood
waters in Trinidad, the capital of the Beni, have begun to
recede, but rivers throughout the department are rising and
threatening new areas. In Pando, the department to the
northwest, communities are increasingly threatened by swollen
rivers; the department recorded its first death over the
weekend, raising the floods' death toll to 43.

- GOB authorities estimate that flooding has affected almost
76,000 families in eight out of nine departments.

- Health reports indicate increasing cases of dengue fever
and tetanus; the former has now spread to Pando. GOB
authorities will continue mosquito fumigation campaigns and
provide tetanus vaccinations in affected regions.


2. (U) Ambassador Goldberg and USAID Director Mike Yates
traveled to Trinidad March 5 to visit flood victims and
donate two additional plane loads of emergency supplies,
including hygiene kits, water cans, and tents. U.S.
assistance to date totals approximately USD 1.5 million,
including USD 365,000 in medicines provided by the NGO
AmeriCares.


3. (U) Representatives of the Beni ranchers' association told
Econoff that floods had claimed an estimated one percent of
the department's three million cattle; losses thus far total
approximately USD 6 million. Ranchers expect the situation
to worsen, as animals succumb to diseases that emerge as
waters recede; many expect short- and medium-term damages to
exceed those of 1982 floods that killed 400,000 cattle.
Indeed, the Beni prefect told the Ambassador that he expected
cattle mortality to reach one million head by the time waters
recede and ranchers find new forage.


4. (U) Podemos Senator Roberto Yanez told Econoff that
flooding had claimed nearly 400 of his 3,000 cattle, adding
that he expected to lose a year's worth of production and
would need two to three years to rebuild his herd. According
to Yanez, the situation would be even worse for small
producers constrained by futures contracts they could no
longer fulfill, as many contracted cattle had perished. The
senator and other ranchers painted a gloomy picture for the
department's cattle industry, arguing that losses would only
increase and that recovery would be slow.
GOLDBERG