Oldest Andes tribe 'under threat from diminishing water supplies'

The Uru Chipaya - thought to be the oldest tribe of the Andes in Bolivia - have stated that they culture and way of life is under threat due to diminishing water supplies brought about by climate change.

Chief of the tribe, 62-year-old Felix Quispe, revealed that a gradual drying up of the Lauca River, the tribe's primary source of water, has had a severe impact upon the people of the Uru Chipaya.

The Guardian quotes him as saying: "Over here used to be all water. There were ducks, crabs [and] reeds growing in the water. I remember that. What are we going to do? We are water people."

Due to the changes, many members of the tribe have departed, leaving its numbers at around just 2,000, the newspaper reports.

The Lauca River, which originates in Chile, empties into Coipasa Lake in Bolivia and is 225 kilometres in length.