At least 42 people have been killed and more than 50,000 affected by heavy rains and severe flooding across parts of Bolivia.

Families grab what they can and flee in boats or canoes - forced to leave their animals behind.

Officials say overflowing riverbanks have soaked some 17,000 hectares of prime agricultural land.

Here, a sign welcomes guests to the 'beautiful town of San Javier Beni'... a village now underwater.

Esmeralda Yana and her family took shelter in a local school as floodwaters quickly swept into town.

I saw the water coming, she said. I woke up my children and we left running.

Rains are expected to continue in the area until mid-March.