Flooding Crisis: How Gold Mining and Climate Change Devastate a Bolivian Village
The village of Tipuani in Bolivia faces severe flooding due to aggressive gold mining and climate change effects. Approximately 500 homes are partially submerged, impacting residents who rely on mining for their livelihoods. Local experts suggest that unsustainable mining practices exacerbate the crisis, while climate change amplifies weather extremes, including unprecedented rainfall. The community struggles to adapt as schools close and people contend with contaminated water.
Rafael Quispe navigates a makeshift raft through his flooded village of Tipuani in western Bolivia, where approximately 500 homes are partly submerged. This flooding is attributed to a combination of ongoing gold mining activities that undermine riverbanks and unusual rainfall linked to climate change. Tipuani’s streets have been inundated, presenting a harsh reality to its 7,500 residents.
A significant majority, around 92 percent, rely on mining for their livelihood, yet this industry is increasingly damaging the environment. The recent gold rush has exacerbated the mining practices, leading to mechanical extraction that further destabilizes the land and alters waterways. According to Alfredo Zaconeta from Cedla, these practices contribute directly to severe flooding.
Sinforiano Checa, a former miner, resides in a tent after his home was flooded, lamenting that the mining operations are sinful in impact. In contrast, Rolando Vargas, president of a mining cooperative, acknowledged the harmful legacy their industry has left on their community, especially since waste dumping into rivers has been a common practice.
In Chima, children are forced to play in contaminated waters due to the flooding surrounding schools that remain closed. Community members like 63-year-old Manuel Barahona express their determination to continue working despite the odds, highlighting the lack of alternative sources of income.
Bolivia, identified as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, faces an ongoing crisis with weather changes. Recent rains in Tipuani were unprecedented for January, deviating from typical weather patterns associated with the La Nina phenomenon. According to Lucia Walper from Senamhi, last year’s severe forest fires have further complicated local rainfall, impacting moisture retention and causing significant rain increases in some areas.
The situation in Tipuani illustrates the devastating interplay between aggressive gold mining practices and climate change, leading to significant flooding and disruption of daily life. Local residents, heavily reliant on mining for their livelihoods, now face grave environmental consequences that endanger their community. This highlights the urgent need for sustainable practices that protect both the environment and local populations in Bolivia and beyond.
Original Source: www.france24.com
