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Bolivia declares emergency after floods kill over 50

Bolivia's government has declared a state of emergency due to intense flooding across the nation. (AP PHOTO)

Bolivian President Luis Arce has declared a national emergency after torrential rains and severe floods left more than 50 dead and displaced more than 100,000 people across the South American nation.

All nine of Bolivia's departmental regions have been affected by the heavy rains, with one being designated in a state of disaster and three others in a state of emergency.

Bolivian President Luis Arce
Bolivian President Luis Arce said more than 100,000 people had been displaced. (EPA PHOTO)

"These natural disasters are forcing us to declare a national emergency," Arce said during a press conference.

He said more than 370,000 families have been affected by rains. Bolivia, with a population of over 12 million, typically has its rainy season from November to March.

Lucia Walper, from Bolivia's Senamhi meteorological service, said several orange and red alerts for river overflows, that are typically issued in February, have been issued in March this year and extended until April.

The state of emergency will allow the government to purchase supplies and facilitate the deployment of resources. Thousands of soldiers have been deployed around the country to help distribute aid to heavily affected areas.

Bolivia floods
A heavily flooded street in Bolivia's second largest city El Alto. (AP PHOTO)

Congress is also expected to approve a $US75 million ($A119 million) loan from the CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean to help deal with fallout from natural disasters, including floods.

Bolivia has been grappling with widespread flooding since the end of last year, with thousands of families affected by heavy rain across 186 municipalities and more than 3000 communities directly impacted, the UN said earlier this month.

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