People protest in La Paz on November 18, 2016 against Bolivia's water shortage

Bolivia's government declared an emergency on Monday as the country suffers its worst drought in 25 years.

"The cabinet has approved a decree... to declare a national emergency due to the drought and the shortage of water in various regions of the country," President Evo Morales told reporters.

He said the decree unblocks funding for the government and local authorities to tackle the shortages.

Morales said 2016 has been the hottest year in a century for the Andean nation.

The drought started two weeks ago and has caused shortages in seven of the country's 10 biggest cities.

The state water utility EPSAS has started rationing water. Some districts are being served by tanker lorries.

The shortages have sparked protests in various areas, including rural districts whose crops depend on irrigation.

© 2016 AFP</s>Bolivia’s government has declared a state of emergency over the worst drought in 25 years, making funds available to alleviate a crisis that has affected families and the agricultural sector.

The vice-ministry of civil defense estimated that the drought has affected 125,000 families and threatened 290,000 hectares (716,605 acres) of agricultural land and 360,000 heads of cattle.

President Evo Morales called on local governments to devote funds and workers to drill wells and transport water to cities in vehicles, with the support of the armed forces, from nearby bodies of water.

“We have to be prepared for the worst,” Morales said at a press conference, adding that the current crisis was an opportunity to “plan large investments” to adapt to the effects of climate change on the country’s water supply.

The national state of emergency comes after 172 of the country’s 339 municipalities declared their own emergencies related to the drought.

Last week, residents of El Alto, near La Paz, briefly held authorities with a local water distribution company hostage to demand the government explain its plans to mitigate the shortage.

The drought has prompted protests in major cities and conflicts between miners and farmers over the use of aquifers.
The President of Bolivia Evo Morales declares a national emergency due to water shortages caused by a drought.