At least 15 families living on the edge of a ravine in Hoyo de Elias, in La Yaguita de Pastor in Santiago de los Caballeros, where four people drowned during the rains on Monday 19 November, will be moved to a safer location this morning, Wednesday 21 November in order to prevent more tragedies in the area. These families will be temporarily lodged in housing rented by the government and the city council of Santiago, in the neighborhood of El Asfalto, which is near La Yaguita de Pastor.
The mayor of Santiago, Gilberto Serulle, announced the measure during a tour of El Hoyo de Elias where mosquito nets, sheets and kitchen utensils were distributed to families affected by the flooding. Serulle said that the city council, together with the central government authorities would find permanent shelter for the families living on the edge of the ravine. “We have come to help these families who lost some of their relatives and all that they had in their houses,” said the mayor. Yesterday, Tuesday 20 November the provincial governor also delivered 500 food rations, both cooked and uncooked, as well as mattresses and other supplies to the people affected by the flooding.
Monday’s floods caused the deaths of a little girl, Amerlyn Rodriguez, young Wandy Nunez Campo, 23 and Angel Ramon Rosario Cruz, who were swept away by floodwaters after the creek in the Hoyo de Elias ravine burst its banks.