Coming at a time when the country was still suffering from severe drought, the drenching rains on Friday 22, Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August 2014 have brought benefits as well as damage nationwide.
The Emergency Operations Committee (COE) reports that more than 4,015 people had to be evacuated in the east, and 600 homes were damaged. A total of 23 communities in the region were cut off by the heavy rainfall. The rains mostly affected the provinces of San Pedro de Macoris, La Romana, Hato Mayor and El Seibo where Civil Defense brigades helped with the evacuations. Other provinces affected by heavy rains were Maria Trinidad Sanchez (Nagua), Santiago, Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris), San Jose de Ocoa, Monte Plata and Azua.
COE chief Major General Juan Manuel Mendez says that of the 4,015 people displaced, 3,603 have now returned to their homes. He said the COE continues to maintain an alert for 18 provinces.
In the capital city of Santo Domingo, however, the rains were welcomed. The director general of the city water corporation (CAASD), Alejandro Montas, said that the rainfall had helped improve drinking water supply levels for the entire Greater Santo Domingo area. Montas said that the service would improve as of tomorrow, Tuesday 26 August 2014, when the levels needed for supplying the city’s more than 360 million daily gallons of water are reached.
Montas said that water sources in Valdesia, Haina-Manoguayabo, Isa-Mana, Duey, Isabela and Barrera de Salinidad have improved.
Water levels in Valdesia and Jiguey have also improved. But Luis Cuevas, in charge of operations for dams at INDRHI says that not enough water fell in the Central Mountain Range. He said the rains were positive for farms. “All this rain has benefitted Dominican farming that had been dependent on irrigation before.”
The Ministry of Public Works reports some damage to the San Pedro de Macoris and La Romana highways.
The meteorological office says that rains will continue to gradually diminish today, Monday, 25 August 2014 as the after-effects of the storm, now known as Tropical Storm Cristobal, continue.
Read more in Spanish:
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2014/08/25/i760521_aguaceros-elevaron-niveles-las-presas.html
Más de 3 mil personas aún siguen fuera de sus casas por las lluvias