26 Nov 2014 - 10:46 by OOSKAnews Correspondent

LA PAZ, Bolivia

Some 30 municipalities across the central Bolivian departments of Oruro, Santa Cruz and La Paz have declared drought emergencies, according to the Andean nation’s Civil Defense Ministry.

According to Deputy Minister Óscar Cabrera, 16 of those municipalities are located in Oruro, 12 in Santa Cruz and the remainder in La Paz. In total, around 12,000 families and 16,000 head of cattle and camelids (llamas and alpacas) have been affected, he said in an interview with local television network Cadena A.

Cabrera said his office was assisting both municipal and national authorities to ensure delivery of emergency supplies to affected regions. To date, this assistance has included water cisterns, animal feed and veterinary supplies.

In a separate announcement, the southwestern department of Potosí declared a drought emergency in the municipality of Llica, capital of Daniel Campos province. According to departmental authorities, the drought could affect up to 90 percent of the region’s quinoa crop production, and up to 65 percent of camelid livestock.

Despite the announcements, the effects of drought in the country’s agricultural belt will be “moderate” compared to previous years, Rural Development and Lands Deputy Minister Víctor Hugo Vásquez told official state news agency ABI.

Vásquez said the start of this year’s drought in November was much later than in previous years, and coincides with the traditional onset of Bolivia’s rainy season. Furthermore, municipal governments are better equipped in terms of resources and training to deal with the effects of extreme weather, and the country’s Senate is also discussing legislation to speed up emergency relief measures.

Meanwhile, Bolivia’s Environment and Water Ministry has announced a number of reservoir construction projects in five of the country’s departments that would guarantee delivery of potable water to drought-affected communities.

“We’re pushing forward with the construction of reservoirs that will curb the seasonal irregularity caused by droughts, thus guaranteeing irrigation for agricultural production and drinking water for human consumption,” said Environment and Water Minster José Zamora.

The ministry, which did not give a timeline for the initiative, is working with authorities in Oruro, Santa Cruz, La Paz, the southern department of Tarija and parts of eastern Bolivia to find suitable sites for the reservoirs.