'Global warming causing flood'
2005-02-11 09:40
Caracas - President Hugo Chavez called on Thursday for calm and blamed global warming for a fourth day of torrential rains that have left 14 people dead in Venezuela.
The rain is caused by "world problems, global warming, which the powerful nations do not want to discuss," Chavez told state-owned VTV television, alluding to United States rejection of the Kyoto treaty to reduce greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.
A mother and her five children were among nine people killed on Wednesday, when buildings collapsed in coastal Carabobo province, local officials said.
Five other people died on Tuesday, including three in Caracas, according to an official toll.
Mudslides and rising waters have affected at least 5 000 people across the country and caused chaos on the roads.
More than 2 500 navy infantry were deployed on Thursday to evacuate thousands of people in northern Caribbean coastal provinces where they had gone to celebrate Carnival.
About 4&nbps;000 people have already been evacuated, and authorities will evacuate 5 000 others on Thursday, Defence Minister Jorge Luis Garcia said.