El Niño hits Bolivia as national emergency declared over droughts and floods

Bolivian authorities have declared a state of emergency across the country due to the expected impact of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which is expected to bring severe droughts and floods to various areas.

The decision was signed on Saturday by President Rodrigo Paz. It is intended to make funds and logistical resources available to manage the situation, as well as to strengthen emergency teams in the hardest-hit areas.

Paz warned that El Niño could cause “very serious consequences in terms of droughts and floods,” stressing that dealing with the crisis requires “the cooperation of all institutions.”

Government data released this week show that drought has so far affected around 78,000 families in six of Bolivia’s nine administrative regions. More than 75,000 head of livestock have also been lost due to the difficult conditions, further worsening the financial situation of farmers and livestock owners.

The risk is not linked solely to a lack of rainfall. In December 2025, floods in Santa Cruz claimed dozens of lives. The effects of El Niño have also been observed in other South American countries, where unusual weather phenomena have been recorded.

Santiago, Chile, recorded its wettest October ever, while fires in Peru claimed at least 12 lives during the past month.

El Niño is a natural phenomenon that usually occurs every two to seven years and is linked to the warming of the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean. This process affects wind patterns, atmospheric pressure and the distribution of rainfall in different parts of the world. Depending on the region, the phenomenon can bring prolonged periods of drought or heavy rainfall that causes flooding.

Scientific forecasts suggest that the current cycle could be among the strongest ever recorded. It is expected to peak at the end of 2026, while its effects could continue throughout 2027. Experts warn that poorer countries could face more severe consequences because of their more limited capacity to respond to natural disasters. According to some estimates, El Niño could be linked to more than 450,000 deaths worldwide.

The World Meteorological Organization said at the beginning of September that there was an almost 100% chance that El Niño would remain active until February 2027. The state of emergency declared in Bolivia is intended to accelerate the authorities’ response, as thousands of families continue to face the direct damage caused by droughts and floods.