Torrential rains in Bolivia leave thousands without homes

SCRIPT: In the town of Rurrenabaque in the Bolivian Amazon, the banks of the Beni river have collapsed due to the rising water level. About 40 people have died in floods here since October, and 47,000 families have been forced from their homes. SOUNDBITE 1 Ronald Salinas, inhabitant of Rurrenabaque (Spanish, 23 sec) “My house was here 12 meters long and 6 meters wide. And now there’s nothing left, except the POSTS. And now we have to sleep on the street. We can’t stay here for we fear the river will rise again. So many years and so much effort to lose everything overnight.” (IN SPANISH) « Todo eso era 12 metros mi casa, por alla, por 6 de ancho, y ahora no ha quedado nada. Solamente han quedado los postes como usted puede ver ahi. Mientras tanto nosotros estamos viviendo en la calle, no podemos vivir aca en la orilla por el miedo el temor que otra vez se suba el rio. Tanto esfuerzo, a uno le cuesta tantos anos y ahora perderlo todo de un dia para el otro. » The same fate now threatens neighboring houses. Over recent days residents have tried to contain the water with the help of around 800 sand bags – but with limited success. Constantino makes the most of a slight dip in water levels to take food supplies to his family who are a one-hour boat ride away. SOUNDBITE 2 Constantino, inhabitant of Rurrenabaque (Spanish, 16 sec) “This type of flood used to happen every 10 or 15 years. But it was like this only three years ago. It means that the environment is changing. Maybe it’s because we are damaging it.” (IN SPANISH) « De 10 anhos, 15 anhos, sabe llegar este tipo de llenura pero ahora no se ha alejado mucho, apenas tres anhos ha durado y ha vuelto a llegar la misma cantidad. Eso significa que nuestra naturaleza esta cambiando. Quizas sea porque nosotros estamos danhandola. » In San Miguel del Bala, about 40 indigenous families who had been isolated for a week are finally receiving some rice, pasta, sugar and oil. Here, the swollen river rose to 1.50 meter, overran the village and destroyed nearly all their crops. SOUNDBITE 3 Reynaldo, inhabitant of San Miguel del Bala (Spanish, 14 sec) “It’s a...