The National Emergency Commission Declares a General Storm Alert

On Monday, the National Emergency Commission declared a general storm alert for the entire country due to the tropical storm detected 400 kilometers east of Puerto Rico and which is moving 32 kilometers per hour, according to a communiqué issued by the President’s press office.

Retired Coronel Luis Luna Paulino, president of the National Emergency Commission, said the possibility that the storm might turn into a tropical cyclone are very low. However, he called on the population to stay on alert and to pay close attention to all official messages and warnings.

Luna said the red alert was in effect in the following provinces: Santiago, Puerto Plata, Espaillat, Hermanas Mirabal, Duarte; the sectors of Bajo Yuna, Maria Trinidad Sánchez, Samaná, Montecristi, Valverde, Sánchez Ramírez, El Seybo, Hato Mayor, and especially Sabana de la Mar, La Altagracia, La Vega, Monte Plata and Monseñor Nouel. 

The president of the commission added that the following provinces have been declared under yellow alert:  Santo Domingo, National District, Santiago Rodríguez, Dajabón and San Pedro of Macorís. A green alert is in effect in the rest of the country.

Luna Paulino explained that all regional, provincial and municipal government offices of the Civil Defense, Armed Forces, Red Cross and Fire Department are also on alert and will be keeping a close eye on the country’s most vulnerable areas. He added that all emergency centers in the provinces under alert will reactivate the evacuation process in coordination with the regional governments and Emergency Operations Center at any point if it should become necessary.