2017News

COE begins evacuations for Hurricane Maria

Juan Manuel Méndez / 7 Dias

As part of disaster mitigation efforts, the Emergency Operations Commission (COE) said that evacuations of people from vulnerable areas in Santiago and the northern region began on Tuesday, 19 September 2017. General Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the COE, said that alerts for nine provinces have been issued. When the announcement was made the provinces of La Altagracia, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, Samaná, Espaillat, María Trinidad Sánchez, Puerto Plata, Montecristi and La Romana, and Saona Island were in yellow alert. They are now in red alert.

“Citizens need to cooperate with the authorities to avoid tragedies,” said Méndez. He said that there were no deaths in the Dominican Republic with the passing of Hurricane Irma because of the prevention measures taken.

Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario

20 September 2017