State of Emergency in Santa Cruz: Wildfires and Diesel Shortages Hit Hard

Santa Cruz, Bolivia, has declared a state of emergency due to extreme weather, including wildfires. These wildfires have disrupted fuel supplies, aggravating diesel shortages. The emergency measures involve freeing government resources to address these crises. Ongoing firefighting efforts are hampered by the harsh conditions.

Santa Cruz, a Bolivian department, has declared a state of emergency through the year's end due to extreme weather events including wildfires, according to a decree issued Thursday.

Recent wildfires in eastern Bolivia have disrupted fuel supply lines, compounding the diesel shortages that began earlier this week. This has also impeded firefighting efforts in the affected regions. The decree highlights the diverse climatic challenges such as heavy rains, floods, droughts, strong winds, extreme temperatures, and forest fires.

The emergency declaration, valid until December 30, urges the government to release funding and resources to promptly tackle these disasters. Bolivian President Luis Arce stated that fuel imports from Russia have been delayed at Chilean ports due to storm surges.

The Zeynep vessel carrying 33,000 metric tons of diesel, purchased from Russia, arrived on the Chilean coast but has been unable to unload. Santa Cruz, along with other affected municipalities, faces severe environmental challenges that hamper firefighting efforts. The government is currently addressing ten out of 25 active fires that have devastated around 200,000 hectares.

(With inputs from agencies.)