MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Floods in Paraguay: some 40.000 people displaced

More than 10,000 of the evacuees have been relocated to the country's capital, Asunción

The Government of Paraguay reported that approximately 40,000 people have been displaced since March as a consequence of the recent floods in the country.

Minister of the National Emergency Secretariat Joaquín Roa, said that more than 10,000 of the evacuees have been relocated to the country's capital, Asunción, military bases, public squares and even nearby roads.

Since March, intense rains have led to significant floods caused by increasing water levels in the Paraguay River.

Recent data shows the river has reached up to 6.92 meters in height, when its normal stage is 4 meters.

However, Paraguay's Hydrology Department reported that the level of disaster will be when it reaches 8 meters high. According to current forecasts, it is not expected that there will be sufficient precipitation to reach these events.

On the other hand, the country's cattle industry, and is one of the country's main economic engines -- has suffered significant losses as a result of the ongoing flooding.

Carlos Jiménez, president of the subsidiary in the Bajo Chaco of the Rural Association of Paraguay, said that of the 4 million cattle existing in the area, around 480,000 are in the water or grouped in small, higher-elevation places near the flooding.