VENEZUELA FLOOD FORCES EVACUATION

[tropicana]

Venezuela flood forces evacuation

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 05, 2003 11:AM ]

CARACAS : Rivers swollen by days of heavy rains jumped their banks and flooded villages in northwest Venezuela , forcing at least 4,000 people to be evacuated, rescue officials said on Friday.

There were no reports of deaths after the Limon River in Zulia state rose by nearly 8 meters (26 feet) and washed into several towns, said German Bracho, director of Zulia's Civil Protection agency.


Many of the villagers were small farmers who lost crops and livestock in the floods, which left some houses filled with more than a meter (3 feet) of water.

Zulia is about 500 kilometers (300 miles) west of Caracas .
River levels were dropping after the rains stopped Friday, Bracho said. About 1,200 National Guardsmen, police, doctors, and rescue officials were involved in cleanup and rescue efforts.

Flooding in some communities started three weeks ago when another Paraguachon river overflowed, Montiel Garcia said. One village of 210 children and 90 adults has been without electricity and potable water for three weeks, he said.

"The victims have parked refrigerators, washing machines and ovens along the roads hoping to save them. It's incredible," Montiel Garcia said. "The situation is delicate but it's not uncontrollable."

Torrential rains over the nearby twin-island state of Trinidad and Tobago have also been causing flooding problems in the last week.

-justin-