Severe snowstorms paralyse Bolivia, threaten livestock and livelihoods

Heavy snowfall has disrupted life across Bolivia, with the country's second-largest city, El Alto, among the worst affected. Informal traders and small businesses are struggling as snow keeps customers away, while authorities have suspended travel on major highways and mountain passes. El Alto sits more than 4,000 metres above sea level on the Altiplano plateau, making it particularly vulnerable to severe winter conditions. In the southern city of Potosi, deep snow has buried grazing fields and left livestock without food. Authorities say more than 165,000 llamas and sheep face starvation and have declared an emergency. Communities are rescuing animals as Bolivia braces for more heavy snowfall in the coming days.

Al Jazeera's Michael Appel reports.

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