Monday, March 31st - Chima, province of La Paz, Bolivia.

This type of phenomenon is not new to the area. According to a comparative study conducted by Senamhi (National Meteorology and Hydrology Service), the province of Larecaja, where Chima is located, has been one of the most seriously affected areas in recent years due to heavy rainfalls leading to the overflow of the Tipuani and Mapiri rivers. Senamhi study indicates the rains are caused -among other reasons- by the well-known phenomenon of El Niño.

The Chima region, in particular, is located in an area of high environmental vulnerability. In recent years, it had to face serious floods and landslides. Last year it suffered a devastating fire in the same neighbourhood hit by the landslide yesterday. In addition to the characteristics of the natural physical environment, the area allows the fragile coexistence of a small-scale mining enterprise (see http://www.iipm-mpri.org)- the main economic activity of the region- with the urban settlement where mine workers live.

The succession of tragic events over the last couple of years reveals the pressing need and difficulties experienced by local governments to tackle the problems on their own. It must be pointed out specifically that Municipalities located in areas of high environmental risk that are frequently exposed to natural disasters need to secure technical support and assistance from regional and international organizations. Among others, there is an urgent need for local authorities and the population in general to have tools to manage their territory and, eventually, prevent the risk of certain natural or anthropic environmental situations from occurring.

IDRC's Environmental Management Secretariat for Latin America and the Caribbean conveys its solidarity to the population of Chima and confirms its commitment to foster action for the preparation of instruments that will allow for the prevention of such accidents so that these incidents are not repeated.

As a contribution to the discussion on the issue, in particular in all aspects related to sustainable environmental management conducted by municipal governments in vulnerable areas, the EMS is preparing a manual to accompany the use of a tool called SIGA (Integrated Environmental Management System). This tool serves as a guide to orient municipal technical experts in designing their own instrument through the systematization, processing and overlaying of geographic information from at least three sources (natural physical, ecological and socio-economic environments). This information can be used to analyse and formulate prevention proposals in environmental management for vulnerable areas.