COE maintains five provinces on green alert and warns about river rises and floods

Santo Domingo.– The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported this Thursday that it maintains the green alert level for five provinces due to the risk of sudden urban and rural floods, rising rivers, streams and ravines, as well as possible landslides. The provinces under alert are María Trinidad Sánchez, Sánchez Ramírez, Duarte (especially the Bajo Yuna area), Samaná and Monte Plata. According to the agency, although an air mass with less moisture content limits the occurrence of significant rainfall, a trough in the middle levels of the troposphere will continue to generate local showers, thunderstorms, and possible wind gusts during the afternoon in several locations in the country. The COE urged the population not to cross rivers, streams and ravines with high volumes of water, as well as to refrain from using spas in the provinces under alert. It also asked parents to keep watch over minors to avoid risky situations.

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The institution also reiterated the prohibition of the use of rivers and spas in the Nizao River basin due to the operational maneuvers carried out by the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGEHID), which include controlled discharges from the Las Barias dam with an approximate contribution of 85 cubic meters per second towards the river basin. The authorities instructed response agencies to reinforce preventive measures in the communities located downstream of the Nizao River, from the Aguacate dam to its mouth at Playa Palenque. Regarding maritime conditions, the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (INDOMET) recommended that fragile, small, and medium-sized vessels navigate with caution near the coast of Pedernales and avoid venturing out to sea due to abnormal waves. There are no restrictions on the rest of the country's coasts.

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The preliminary damage report indicates that in the municipality of Río San Juan, María Trinidad Sánchez province, urban flooding was recorded on Luperón and Nelson Antonio López streets, a situation that subsequently returned to normal. In Monte Plata, the overflow of the Guanuma and El Toro rivers caused partial communication breakdown in several communities, including Los Botados, Mamá Tingó, Peralvillo, Yamasá, Gualey, and El Chacaro. In addition, a perimeter wall collapsed due to the rains, partially affecting a dwelling. The COE indicated that Civil Defense, the Dominican Red Cross, the Armed Forces, and other relief organizations remain in constant monitoring of vulnerable areas and urged citizens to stay informed through official channels and follow the guidance of the authorities.