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NewsWhore
07-23-2009, 03:20 PM
The tropical wave that has affected the country is moving away, and is now located over central Cuba.
However, according to the National Meteorological Office (ONAMET), the cloud cover caused by the tropical wave will continue to lead to rain over parts of the Dominican Republic.
As a result, the emergency services are still on Red and Yellow alerts in 17 provinces and an epidemiological alert has been issued to prevent outbreaks of disease caused by the rains.
As of yesterday afternoon, the Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported the death of one man who was struck by lightning as well as some 200 houses flooded in San Cristobal, after the Nigua and Yubazo rivers broke their banks.
The victim was identified as Pedro Evangelista, 54, a resident of Villa Riva. It was also reported that 75 people had been forced to leave their homes.
As a result of the rains, aqueducts in Haina-Manoguayabo, Duey-Guananito and Isa-Mena are out of service, according to the director general of the Corporation of Aqueduct and Sewers for Santo Domingo (CAASD), Ramon Rivas.
Rivas said that these systems were affected by the flooding of the rivers that feed them and made getting to the intake facilities very difficult or impossible. Rivas added that he has instructed the Department of Water Distribution to carry out extraordinary operations in the places that could be affected by the failure of the systems.
According to Onamet, the rains will continue and they will be accompanied by thunder and lightening and occasional strong winds, with greater intensity in the south, northeast and the central mountains where there are flood and landslide risks. COE director Francisco Mendez told reporters that a Red Alert is still in effect for Hato Mayor, La Romana, El Seibo, San Pedro de Macoris, Samana, Santo Domingo and Monte Plata. He said that it had been extended to include another 5 provinces: Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris), especially the Lower Yuna Basin, La Vega, Bonao, San Cristobal and Sanchez Ramirez (Cotui). There is also a Yellow Alert for Azua, Peravia (Bani), La Altagracia (Higuey), San Juan de la Maguana and Elias Pina.
Mendez also informed the public that the Valdesia Dam was releasing some water, since it had reached its maximum level. He said that the flooding of the Haina River had cut off about 10 communities.
Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez reported that all Emergency and Disaster Department personnel are working in the provinces that are under Red Alert, with the aim of preventing outbreaks of diseases like dengue, malaria or leptospirosis.
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