September 22nd was the 14th anniversary of Hurricane Georges, which Dominicans remember for the devastation caused by the rains in the days that followed.

It arrived as a Category 3 hurricane and caused losses worth 16% of the Gross National Product (GNP) according to the Human Development Program of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Georges was also responsible for 235 deaths, and 296,637 people were displaced into shelters, making it the country's worst national disaster in the last 30 years.

As a result of Georges (1998) and Tropical Storms Olga and Noel, which affected the country in 2007, there has been an improvement in risk prevention policies including the creation of the Emergency Operations Center (COE) in 2001.

September is usually the peak month for hurricanes affecting the Dominican Republic. Meteorologists say that at present, there is no storm in the vicinity.

www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2012/9/22/248242/Se-cumplieron-14-anos-del-huracan-Georges

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