47 communities cut-off and 7534 displaced because of Emily

A man died in Santo Domingo

The Center for Emergency Operations informed that 7,534 persons were displaced by the storm, 5,985 were housed with friends and family and 1,549 were placed in official shelters.Storm Emily Displaced Dominican Republic v02

According to the report, the persons displaced to the houses of friends and family live in the provinces of San Juan de la Maguana, Barahona, San Pedro de Macoris, San Cristobal, Santo Domingo and Samaná.

Furthermore 47 communities were cut off by flooding rivers in Monsignor Nouel, Azua and San Pedro de Macoris. Just in Azua there were 37 areas that have been isolated by rising rivers.

There is a report of damages, which is quite extensive, center director Juan Manuel Méndez said at a late Thursday press conference. We ask people not to let their guards down, because precipitation will continue, and the grounds are saturated, especially in the south – southwest part of the country. The rain is what does most damage, not the wind.

The heavy rains that were left by Emily yesterday as it went by the country flooded streets and avenues of the capital, forced the evacuation of hundreds of persons and the suspension of flights at the Las Americas International Airport.

Although the National Meteorological Office (Onamet) discontinued the tropical storm advisory because Emily degenerated to a low-pressure area, the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) maintained its RED Alert for 26 provinces and yellow alert for six others due to the fact that the remainders of the storm will continue to produce a lot of rain that could cause sudden floods and landslides.

In the meantime, 13 aqueducts among those that are administered by the National Institute for Potable Water and Sewers (INAPA) were taken out of service as a preventive measure. Among these were Yuboa y Juma, in Monsignor Nouel; Padre Las Casas, Magueyal, Tabara Abajo in Azua, as well as Sabana de la Mar and El Valle in El Seibo.

One person dies in Santo Domingo

The National Police reported the death by drowning of a 33 year old man whose body was found in Santo Domingo in the Alma Rosa Club, located on the street President Vasquez.

Edward Diaz Urbaez, according to the diagnosis, died of drowning when he enjoyed a bath in the aforementioned club.

The preliminary report states that Urbáez Diaz was caught in a sewer drain.

Public Health

The Minister of Public Health reported that after the passing of Emily, he started an extensive program of looking for persons with fevers and cases of diarrhea in the shelters and other places with a high risk of contamination, because it is common for rains to produce outbreaks of diseases.

Bautista Rojas Gomez said that the periods after the rains are associated with dengue, malaria, cholera, and leptospirosis, which is the reason that it is always necessary to intensify the epidemiological actions.

The vulnerable places

Yesterday, the situation in La Cienaga and La Barquita, two of the most vulnerable sectors of Greater Santo Domingo, remained calm. The Ozama and Isabela rivers, although they had increased their flows, had yet to start flooding houses.

Nevertheless, the residents, especially those in La Barquita, were preparing for flooding. And this is due to the fact that experience tells them that the day after the rains is when the river grows a lot.

The members of Civil Defense teams inspected the area.

Yesterday the Chief of Police, Major General Jose Antonio Polanco Gomez, visited the alleys of the sector « in order to personally verify the situation. » He said that he had personnel prepared in case it was necessary to collaborate with the assistance agencies and they had mattresses, sheets, mosquito nets, and food for distribution among the potential victims.

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