President Fernandez toured the area of Santiago last night.
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Santo Domingo.- The Emergency Operations Center (COE) in its latest report last night said 19 people died, 15 of them in Santiago, after the Tavera dam’s water was drained, and 35,280 people evacuated. Of that figure 3,727 were taken to government shelters, while 30,753 went to homes of relatives and friends.
There are 3 collapsed bridges, an unspecified number of highways washed out and 76 towns cut off and 6,896 houses damaged, the COE said.
In the country’s Northwest, mainly Valverde and Montecristi provinces, more than 4,000 people were evacuated.
In Santiago, the executive vice-president of the state-owned power companies (CDEEE), Radhamés Segura, said 48 percent of the region’s 542,000 customers have no electricity.
In a tour of that zone president Leonel Fernandez said he’ll receive a report on the damages in the next few hours.
Written by: josean, 13 Dec 2007 9:03 AM
From: United States
This is the most inept president that I have seen in recent dominican history. He and his team are a bunch of improvisers. They should all be criminal charged for killing these innocent people
Written by: p12kitty, 13 Dec 2007 9:13 AM
From: United States, Secacus NJ
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT..... ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Written by: JeiJei, 13 Dec 2007 10:07 AM
From: Germany
Would it never stop this year? Where is the warning system that they are talking about after Noel?
Written by: michael, 13 Dec 2007 10:49 AM
From: Dominican Republic
There was warnings, with pleanty of time. But people woouldn´t get out. In Santiago, the started to evacuate at 11 pm and at 3 am they started to leave with the water on their necks.
The mistake that the goverment is doing is only to warn. They should force people out of their homes
Written by: DaniDr, 13 Dec 2007 10:59 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
And even with the army there to force people evacuate, some still would refuse to leave.
Written by: p12kitty, 13 Dec 2007 11:06 AM
From: United States, Secacus NJ
People are going to do what they want so it is not fair to blame the GOVERMENT...
DR has changed ALOT... FOR THE BETTER.... so to say that the president and his people should be charged is IGNORANT ! this is a sad disaster from mother nature and no one can be blame.... HOWEVER the after math is a different story ...that's when we will see if the "president" helps.... you CAN'T make everyone happy..
Written by: DaniDr, 13 Dec 2007 11:13 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
Some of population itself would stay at home after being warned, then blame the government. It's an endless loop. Even if the government really did help on the aftermath, it's not fair that history keeps repeating itself. To some point, if i'm a fool and don't acknowledge the warnings, it's my responsability, and I'm more than a fool to expect help from the government when it was my mistake.
Written by: p12kitty, 13 Dec 2007 11:19 AM
From: United States, Secacus NJ
I agree Dani !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Written by: michael, 13 Dec 2007 11:25 AM
From: Dominican Republic
The part that I don´t understand is, the the floodings came cause of draining the dam, how come al this happened. Isn´t it suppose to be somthing under control? Can´t they decide the amount of water coming out of the doors?
Written by: Mangil, 13 Dec 2007 11:29 AM
From: Canada
was it really necessary to drain this dam?
I may be wrong, but from my outsider point of view, this is what caused most of the damage (in that region at least)
Written by: p12kitty, 13 Dec 2007 11:39 AM
From: United States, Secacus NJ
Well my mothers lives about 3 blocks away from where the water stopped. The cops or whatever you want to call it went to her house and told her that she needed to evacuate because the dam was filling up QUICK and if the water continued they had to open it again. THANK GOD the rain slowed down and they didn't have to do it a second time. But she said that they were patrolling the area and kept them informed.
It was necessary to open it because it was in danger of collapsing which is worst ... it was raining continously since Sat. night.... they really didn't have a choice... the river was raising and the dam was FULL
Written by: DaniDr, 13 Dec 2007 11:39 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
I agree with you guys. The way the dam's are managed must be reviewed.
Written by: joopjoop, 13 Dec 2007 12:50 PM
From: Dominican Republic, San Pedro de Macoris
This goverment has no intention at all to PRE-warn or to prepare anything as part of their public relations.
They will wait till the damage is done and than put themselves on the frontpages as Saviours and supposedly start some aid.
Joop
You cannot tell me that after Noel they were unable to lower the waterlevels for the dam.
And you don't need to be a rocket scientist to calculate that if it rains again that floodings will be the result when the dam is opened during the rain.
Lack of intelligence or a very sinister plan ??
From: United States, NJ
Like in all dams there are two drain tunnels on each side to drain it slowly instead of opening the
main lacks to prevent it from getting damaged and have some control on the water spilled that could be used later when drout comes.
I also see use of the spill tunnels to build hydro electric turbines at the bottom. No planning for the future as well as for the present eccept politics ! That would be too much to ask of them .
From: United States
Anybody heard news of a third storm coming up from South America?????
Written by: michael, 14 Dec 2007 8:36 AM
From: Dominican Republic
A thir storm? Are you kidding?
From: Dominican Republic
Olga did not kill anyone! Lack of awareness killed 19. Bad decisions killed 19. Money killed 19.
I am tired of the media and government blaming a natural ( with advanced warning) occurance...with the blame for the deaths of those who succumbed to the fury of nature.
The dam that was built was built for money...or the generation of money. Now it...not the storm...should be partially held for the blame of deaths.
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The mistake that the goverment is doing is only to warn. They should force people out of their homes
DR has changed ALOT... FOR THE BETTER.... so to say that the president and his people should be charged is IGNORANT ! this is a sad disaster from mother nature and no one can be blame.... HOWEVER the after math is a different story ...that's when we will see if the "president" helps.... you CAN'T make everyone happy..
I may be wrong, but from my outsider point of view, this is what caused most of the damage (in that region at least)
It was necessary to open it because it was in danger of collapsing which is worst ... it was raining continously since Sat. night.... they really didn't have a choice... the river was raising and the dam was FULL
They will wait till the damage is done and than put themselves on the frontpages as Saviours and supposedly start some aid.
Joop
You cannot tell me that after Noel they were unable to lower the waterlevels for the dam.
And you don't need to be a rocket scientist to calculate that if it rains again that floodings will be the result when the dam is opened during the rain.
Lack of intelligence or a very sinister plan ??
main lacks to prevent it from getting damaged and have some control on the water spilled that could be used later when drout comes.
I also see use of the spill tunnels to build hydro electric turbines at the bottom. No planning for the future as well as for the present eccept politics ! That would be too much to ask of them .
I am tired of the media and government blaming a natural ( with advanced warning) occurance...with the blame for the deaths of those who succumbed to the fury of nature.
The dam that was built was built for money...or the generation of money. Now it...not the storm...should be partially held for the blame of deaths.