At least 20 people have died and as many are missing as a result of flooding in the Santa Cruz department of Bolivia, said the country's deputy defense minister, Alfredo Troche.
“The death toll has reached 20. More than 20 people are still missing. Unfortunately, the number of victims is likely to increase, the water level is receding and rescuers are searching for the bodies of those who were unable to escape the onslaught,“ he said on Bolivian television.
The departmental authorities have declared the region a disaster zone. The municipality of El Torno was the hardest hit by the floods. According to authorities, more than 600 families have been affected by the disaster.
On December 13, torrential rains hit Santa Cruz, causing several rivers in the region to overflow.