Housing units at the base of Isabel de Torres Mountain in Puerto Plata are at risk of landslides. Nevertheless, the northern side of the is continues to be invaded by more and more housing units. And this comes after landslides recently destroyed several houses and businesses not too far away.
The Cordillera Septentrional is famous for its unstable geology. But even more important is the fact that the area being invaded is a protected area, as per Protected Areas Law 202-04. The mountain itself is the source of 15 streams.
The land is protected by Protected Areas Law 202-04 and by two executive acts — Decree 571-09 and Decree 607-66. The entire area is a scientific reserve. Media reports say that powerful economic interests, seeking to benefit from the breathtaking vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, have exploited the long-standing weak enforcement of the laws and decrees.
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El Caribe
25 April 2021