Santo Domingo.- Although Hurricane Irene did not hit the country directly yesterday, its effects are being felt in northern, central and eastern areas.

The Emergency Operations Center (COE) issued a red alert for 24 provinces a and yellow alert for eight provinces, and conducted preventive evacuations of over one thousand people. Residents of the areas downstream from the Sabana Yegua, Sabaneta and Valdesia dams were also instructed to leave their homes.

Schools remain closed across the country due to weather conditions and to prevent unnecessary risks.

At a press conference yesterday, COE chief General Manuel Méndez García said that the provinces under red alert were La Altagracia, La Romana, San Pedro de Macorís, Santo Domingo, San Cristóbal, Peravia, San José de Ocoa, Azua, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, Valverde, Barahona, San Juan de la Maguana, Independencia, Bahoruco, Monte Cristi, Puerto Plata, Espaillat, María Trinidad Sánchez, Samaná, Duarte, Monte Plata, Sánchez Ramírez and the National District. Yellow alerts are in place for Monseñor Nouel, La Vega, Santiago, Elías Piña, Dajabón, Pedernales, Hermanas Mirabal and Santiago Rodríguez.

Three homes were damaged when they were flooded by seawaters in Matancitas, in the province of María Trinidad Sánchez.

The public was advised to follow the COE bulletins.

Before becoming a hurricane in the early hours of Monday, Tropical Storm Irene crossed over Puerto Rico where thousands of homes suffered power and water cuts. Hurricane Irene, now a category 2 hurricane, is gathering strength as it continues northwestwards towards the Bahamas and Florida.