A devastating landslide struck La Paz, Bolivia's capital, early Sunday due to torrential rains following a severe drought. The disaster, which swept away a young girl and destroyed dozens of homes, prompted emergency evacuations and caused widespread power outages. Bolivia's deputy civil defense minister, Juan Carlos Calvimontes, reported that the landslide destroyed around 24 homes and flooded approximately 40 others in the southwestern area of the city.
Rescue teams worked tirelessly, searching for a missing 5-year-old girl in the mud-laden neighborhood of Bajo Llojeta. Rescuers pulled residents, many of whom suffered from hypothermia, from the debris. Grover Mendoza, the missing girl's father, recounted the moment his daughter disappeared: "My daughter was with her cousins when the mud came."
La Paz Mayor Iván Arias attributed the landslide's severity to unauthorized hillside constructions, which destabilized the area. President Luis Arce, visiting the site, promised aid to victims and stressed accountability, stating, "This cannot be left like this. An investigation must be carried out." The city's vulnerability to such natural calamities is heightened by its geographic location and the onset of a rainy season following one of Bolivia's most severe droughts in recent memory. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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