Feb 9, 2010, 6:28 GMT
La Paz - At least 14 people have died in heavy rains produced by the El Nino climate phenomenon in Bolivia, the defence minister said.
Ruben Saavedra said Monday that several rivers had flooded and a state of emergency was declared in the departments of Cochabamba, Santa Cruz and Beni.
'We have 28,000 families who have suffered from the effects of the storms and 14 people dead in different departments,' he said.
He said 13 tons of relief supplies including food, tents, clothing and mattresses were prepared for distribution to the victims.
The Hydrology and Meteorology Service said the rains would continue at least through March and urged people living in rural areas to take precautions to avoid disaster.
El Nino is the periodic warming of the waters of the Pacific Ocean near the equator, which has adverse effects on weather and agriculture in the Americas.
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