Ninety seven towns still cut off

SANTO DOMINGO.- The Center for Emergency Operations (COE) reported last night that there were still 97 communities cut off from the rest of the country by streams and rivers that were overflowing their banks in different provinces.

At the same time, the number of persons fell to 16,075 from a high of 44,000. Most of these persons were moved as a precaution against flash floods and landslides, according to Colonel Juan Manuel Méndez.

Méndez reported that many of the families that were evacuated have returned to their homes. Of those remaining in shelters, there are 5,006 in government shelters and 11,699 that are staying with family and friends.

The COE reported as well, that due to the overflow of several rivers and streams, communities in San Juan de la Maguana, san José de Ocoa, Sánchez Ramírez, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monte Plata, Monsignor Nouel, San Cristóbal, Ázua, and San Francisco de Macorís have been cut off. Most of these communities are located in the province of Ázua, where 73 communities were isolated by flooding from the Las Cuevas and Gregorio Rivers.

Other streams that were at flood stage were the Vaca and Ocoa in San José de Ocoa; the Lebrón in Santo Domingo province; the Ozama and Ocoa in Monte Plata; the Yuboa, Juma and Yuna rivers in Monsignor Nouel; the Nizao, Ocoa and Baní in Peravia; the Yaque del Sur in Barahona, the Manguito in Bahoruco; the Arroyo Buey in Valverde, and the Payabo in San Francisco de Macorís.

The weather forecasts are calling for continued rains produced by the outer bands of Hurricane Ike, and, because of this, there is a Red Alert still in place for the provinces of Bahoruco, María Trinidad Sánchez, San Cristóbal, La Vega, Monsignor Nouel, Duarte, Barahona, San Juan de la Maguana, Sanchez Ramírez, Ázua, San José de Ocoa, Santo Domingo, Monte Plata, the National District and Peravia. All the other provinces are under a Yellow Alert.

A tropical wave has been located in the Mona Passage moving west at 18 kilometers per hour.