Brown and barren land: Bolivia’s historic drought – in pictures.
Towards the end of last year, the government of Bolivia declared a state of emergency after the worst drought in 25 years affected at least seven of the country’s major cities.In November and December 2016 and January 2017, photographer Marcelo Perez visited reservoirs that supplied drinking water to La Paz, the capital, and neighbouring city El Alto to document the critical levels they had reached.
The Inkachaka, Ajunkota and Hampaturi dams supply drinking water to more than 30% of the population of La Paz.
I expected to see military or personnel from the water company, but the place was totally empty.
Bolivians staged protests in major cities, mirroring the demonstrations of the Cochabamba ‘water war’ in 2000.
Moreira resigned in January.
Water rationing was used for the first time in La Paz, affecting 80,000 people.
The Chacaltaya glacier – once the world’s highest ski resort – has already completely disappeared.
The two Tuni-Condoriri glaciers that provide water to El Alto and La Paz lost 39% of their area between 1983 and 2006.
Here, a rubber emergency channel drains water from a lagoon to ease water shortages.