TRAVEL ADVISORY

BOLIVIA - NATURAL DISASTER...

Severe rainfall during January and February 2007 has caused significant flooding in eight of Bolivia's nine departments, especially Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, and Beni. The Government of Bolivia declared a state of emergency for severely affected areas. The situation has resulted in several casualties, displaced thousands of people, and affected road travel in these regions.

The heavy rains and flooding of the past months have left significant amounts of standing water, which have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Three mosquito-transmitted illnesses whose occurrences increase during the wet season in Bolivia are dengue, yellow fever and malaria. For further information about these three illnesses and preventative measures, please see the Public Health Agency of Canada website.

Canadians should monitor local weather and news reports, follow the advice of local authorities, avoid affected areas, and determine whether the situation will disrupt travel arrangements.