SANTO DOMINGO.- Eight people died when their homes was buried under a landslide in Santo Domingo province and more than 5,000 people had been evacuated yesterday as Hurricane Gustav’s downpours from them from their dwellings, most of them from Pedernales province (southwest), where the category one storm raked past the coast.

The deceased were identified as Marcia Félix, 32, and her sons Esteban Félix, 2, Bienvenida, 15, Jefrey, 12, Manuel, 6, Roberto, 7 months, Francisco, 12, and Carlita Martínez, 38, Marcia’s friend. 

Civil Defense director Luis Luna Paulino said the mudslide in the barrio Guachupita toppled more than 4 homes.

Barahona province also has a large number of evacuees, with 376; Azua 243, and 291 in the National District.

Yesterday 2,460 people remained in public shelters and 2,965 were in homes of relatives and friends, said the Emergency Operations Center (COE), which also reports that the flooding had affected 1,085 houses in the communities El Rosario,  Azua; Lucas Diaz, San Cristóbal, and Santo Domingo province

COE also conducted mandatory evacuations in San Pedro, La Vega and Baní, and reported overflowing of the Isabela river, near Santo Domingo.

On alert

Although Gustav has moved away from the Dominican coasts, the authorities maintain red alert for the southwest provinces.