One Dead in Torrential Rains in Northern Dominican Republic
The director of emergency services in Puerto Plata, Hugo Gonzalez Troche, identified the victim as a 21-year-old man who was killed when a wall collapsed in the Limones neighborhood, one of the sectors that have suffered flooding from overflowing rivers and streams.
Gonzalez Troche said that the downpours caused the San Marcos, Los Dominguez, Muñoz and Camu rivers to overflow, which obliged emergency-services organizations to evacuate dozens of families from at least 20 flooded neighborhoods.
The director said that the situation currently prevailing in Puerto Plata “is critical” and that widespread damages have been caused to agriculture and properties by the heavy rains.
He said that the rubble from damaged buildings that is blocking traffic in parts of Puerto Plata city is being cleared away, while aid for those displaced by the downpours is being organized.
The emergency-services official regretted that migrants from rural areas and from neighboring Haiti are building shelters on the banks of rivers, streams, ravines and other unsuitable locations, which creates problems in times of heavy rains. EFE
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