Easter Week deaths at 60 in spite of efforts
Including 10 minors and more 280 injuries
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.- As of 10 o'clock last night, the number of death during the Holy Week holiday had reached 60, including 10 minors and more 280 injuries, numbers that could change over the next few hours and nearly double the cases in 2008.
These statistics were released by the Civil Defense Director, Major General Luis Luna Paulino, who said that of the deceased, 40 were from traffic accidents, alcohol poisoning and other causes and 20 were from drowning.
In their bulletin #3, released at 11 o'clock yesterday morning, the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) had reported that of the deceased, 32 were from traffic accidents, 13 drowned, and three from alcohol poisoning. Of the 10 minors, seven perished by drowning, two were run over by motor vehicles, and one sixteen-year old died from alcohol poisoning.
Likewise, there were 221 persons injured in automobile accidents, 50 suffered from alcoholic poisoning, and nine from food poisoning.
General Juan Manuel Méndez García, the COE director, told reporters at the press conference that there had been 84 traffic accidents reported, involving 96 motorcycles, and 51 cars and small trucks. Most of the incidents occurred in the province of Santo Domingo, Peravia, Monte Plata, Monsignor Nouel, Barahona, Sanchez Ramirez, La Vega, El Seibo, and the National District.
The general said, "An operation such as this can never be measured by the number of people that die, but rather by the reduction in the number of accidents and in comparison with last year, there was a big reduction." According to the COE, the number of accidents was reduced by 50% in comparison to 2007 and 2008.
With respect to the number of drownings, Méndez García said that these are due to improper use of swimming areas and beaches that had been closed to the public, as well as the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
During the operation "Holy Week Recovered 2009" over 39,000 persons were spread out over the throughways, highways and roads of the country to prevent accidents and assist persons in the case of an emergency. The operation counted on 10 mobile hospitals, 2,351 aid stations, 93 ambulances and three helicopters that were used to carry out emergency transfers from the North, South and East of the country. The aircraft were also used to supervise the nation's beaches.
With relation to 2007 and 2008 there was a noticeable increase in the number of deaths, since the numbers from the former years were 32 and 31, for an increase of 30. Injured in 2007 were 525, and in 2008 they were 412.
This year, there were also more drowning deaths than last year, going from 7 in 2008 to 13 this year. In 2007 there were 9 drowning victims.
The director of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET), General Rafael Oscar Bencosme Candelier, warned motorists that he will use repressive means to force them to comply with Law 241 that covers transit.
"Unfortunately, we have to continue with repressive methods, since people don't listen and we have used everything to educate them and they keep doing stupid things," said the officer.
Between Thursday and Easter Sunday, the AMET had seized 87 vehicles and 1,512 motorcycles because they were in violation of the law.
Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez told reporters that he felt that the increase in the number of deaths during Holy Week indicates the need to double the efforts carried out by the authorities.
He said, "I had hoped that everything would remain more controlled, because this was the impression that we had at the beginning that they had control, but it seems that things got complicated later on." López Rodríguez said that of course during the Easter Week the people have a right to take it easy, but "there are different ways to rest and then because those that travel have to drink rum in excess."
"There has to be more conscientiousness by the people that travel to respect their own lives and the lives of others," said the cardinal when he was questioned by reporters regarding the deaths that happened over the Easter Week.
During the Holy Week 2009 operation members of the Armed Forces, the National Police, the AMET, the Tourism Police, the Red Cross, Civil Defense, and Fire Departments took part.
These statistics were released by the Civil Defense Director, Major General Luis Luna Paulino, who said that of the deceased, 40 were from traffic accidents, alcohol poisoning and other causes and 20 were from drowning.
In their bulletin #3, released at 11 o'clock yesterday morning, the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) had reported that of the deceased, 32 were from traffic accidents, 13 drowned, and three from alcohol poisoning. Of the 10 minors, seven perished by drowning, two were run over by motor vehicles, and one sixteen-year old died from alcohol poisoning.
Likewise, there were 221 persons injured in automobile accidents, 50 suffered from alcoholic poisoning, and nine from food poisoning.
General Juan Manuel Méndez García, the COE director, told reporters at the press conference that there had been 84 traffic accidents reported, involving 96 motorcycles, and 51 cars and small trucks. Most of the incidents occurred in the province of Santo Domingo, Peravia, Monte Plata, Monsignor Nouel, Barahona, Sanchez Ramirez, La Vega, El Seibo, and the National District.
The general said, "An operation such as this can never be measured by the number of people that die, but rather by the reduction in the number of accidents and in comparison with last year, there was a big reduction." According to the COE, the number of accidents was reduced by 50% in comparison to 2007 and 2008.
With respect to the number of drownings, Méndez García said that these are due to improper use of swimming areas and beaches that had been closed to the public, as well as the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
During the operation "Holy Week Recovered 2009" over 39,000 persons were spread out over the throughways, highways and roads of the country to prevent accidents and assist persons in the case of an emergency. The operation counted on 10 mobile hospitals, 2,351 aid stations, 93 ambulances and three helicopters that were used to carry out emergency transfers from the North, South and East of the country. The aircraft were also used to supervise the nation's beaches.
With relation to 2007 and 2008 there was a noticeable increase in the number of deaths, since the numbers from the former years were 32 and 31, for an increase of 30. Injured in 2007 were 525, and in 2008 they were 412.
This year, there were also more drowning deaths than last year, going from 7 in 2008 to 13 this year. In 2007 there were 9 drowning victims.
The director of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET), General Rafael Oscar Bencosme Candelier, warned motorists that he will use repressive means to force them to comply with Law 241 that covers transit.
"Unfortunately, we have to continue with repressive methods, since people don't listen and we have used everything to educate them and they keep doing stupid things," said the officer.
Between Thursday and Easter Sunday, the AMET had seized 87 vehicles and 1,512 motorcycles because they were in violation of the law.
Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez told reporters that he felt that the increase in the number of deaths during Holy Week indicates the need to double the efforts carried out by the authorities.
He said, "I had hoped that everything would remain more controlled, because this was the impression that we had at the beginning that they had control, but it seems that things got complicated later on." López Rodríguez said that of course during the Easter Week the people have a right to take it easy, but "there are different ways to rest and then because those that travel have to drink rum in excess."
"There has to be more conscientiousness by the people that travel to respect their own lives and the lives of others," said the cardinal when he was questioned by reporters regarding the deaths that happened over the Easter Week.
During the Holy Week 2009 operation members of the Armed Forces, the National Police, the AMET, the Tourism Police, the Red Cross, Civil Defense, and Fire Departments took part.