Bolivia appeals for help as snow strands thousands
11 July 11 20:51 ETThe worst snow storms in Bolivia in the last 20 years have left thousands of people stranded, as more snow is forecast for the coming days.
The Bolivian government has appealed for help from neighbouring countries.
It says it needs helicopters to drop aid to isolated communities and heavy machinery to clear the roads.
The snow took farmers and tourists by surprise in the usually dry highlands of Potosi – a vast area in the south-west of the country.
Farmers have lost their crops and more than 50,000 llamas and alpacas are without food, after their pastures were covered by a thick layer of snow.
Roads remain closed, and rescue efforts have been hampered by poor weather.
The Bolivian Civil Defence Department said that dropping aid to isolated communities and rescuing people stranded in freezing temperatures would be difficult without helicopters from other countries.
The government has only two helicopters.
The BBC’s correspondent in La Paz, Mattia Cabitza, says that, giving the vastness and isolation of the territory affected, it will be very difficult to clear the roads before the next snowstorms arrive.
h/t to Marc Morano
A country well prepared for normal weather variations that also did its best to alienate itself from others in the area that could offer help.
To them I say Suck it up and live with it! Maybe Venezuela and Cuba will offer help.
Too bad for him. Perhaps if he cared more for his people and less for his power, there would be no snow.
He would have been prepared for it! Real climate scientists and weather people knew about the possibilities! He was more interested in getting his “Fair Share” of climate fighting handouts.
All tin plated dictators are only interested in the money. They enrich themselves while their people starve and suffer. just look at Venezuela where Chavez took a growing economy and turned it into the Zimbabwe of South America.
How can a country like Bolivia only have two helicopters?
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0mPhnxSnvxygQUF5qWGVQg6PCQdl70rQT6xM-28DtFdsF6tAu
Those evil aerosols are doing their thing.