SANTO DOMINGO. -- A man is missing in Dominican Republic’s northeast coast as downpours drench the country, with nine provinces remain on alert, the Emergency Operations Center (COE) said Tuesday noon.

It said Darío Rubio, 59, went missing while fishing in the beach at Las Terrenas, Samaná province, dragged by the surf, whereas his companion, Mario Núñez, 24, was rescued.

The COE maintains the alert for La Vega, Monseñor Nouel, Sánchez Ramírez, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monte Plata, Hermanas Mirabal, Samaná, San Cristóbal and Duarte provinces, located in different parts of the country.

A tropical depression over the eastern part of Cuba and east-southeast winds will cause heavy showers, storms and wind gusts across most of the country over the next few days, said the Meteorology Office, adding that another depression located north of the country will increase instability.

Traffic to the Central Mountain municipalities Constanza, Tireo and La Salina has been cut off, after the rains triggered landslides, the COE said.