OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Dominican Republic: Tropical Storm Olga
13 December 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This situation report is based on information received from the United
Nations Resident Coordinator in country and from the OCHA Regional
Office in Panama.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Tropical Storm Olga, now a tropical depression, has so far claimed the
lives of 11 people in the Dominican Republic. Some 35,280 persons were
evacuated, 3,727 are in shelters; 6,763 houses were damaged, 36
destroyed and 76 communities are isolated.

- Indications are that the impact will not be as severe as with Noel but
could seriously complicate post-Noel recovery in areas affected that
will have been hit twice.

- Olga has also affected Cuba, Puerto Rico and Jamaica, claiming 3
additional lives.

- There has been no request for assistance yet as preparedness and
response capacities are already available on the ground.

SITUATION

1. Olga developed from a low-pressure system into a named storm Monday
10 December, although the Atlantic hurricane season officially ended
November 30. The centre of Tropical Storm Olga passed through the middle
of the Dominican Republic overnight Tuesday to Wednesday on a direct
westward path. Olga has weaken to a tropical depression over the last 24
hours and moved over the waters between Cuba and Jamaica.

2. According to information obtained by the National Hurricane Center,
on Wednesday evening, the center of tropical depression Olga was located
about 80 miles (130 km) northwest of Kingston, Jamaica and about 235
miles (380 km) east of Grand Cayman.

3. The depression has slowed down and is now moving toward the west.
This general motion is expected to continue during the next 24 to 36
hours. The maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph or 45 km/hour with
higher gusts confined to a few squalls north of the center. The
depression is expected to become a remnant low within the next 12 hours
or so.

4. Olga is expected to produce additional rainfall, accumulations of 1
to 2 inches over the southeastern Bahamas, eastern Cuba, Jamaica and
Hispaniola.

5. The government of the Bahamas had issued a warning for the
southeastern Bahamas and for the Turks and Caicos islands. The storm
passed Puerto Rico on Tuesday night, claiming one death and causing
power shortage to 79,000 people. In Haiti, two people died in the
Department Nord and little damage is reported.

6. The system weakened as it traveled away from the Dominican Republic
and Haiti and was downgraded to a tropical depression on Wednesday
afternoon. But the National Hurricane Center in Miami warned that the
remnants of the system could continue provoking rains in Hispaniola,
where the risk of life-threatening floods and mudslides remained high.

Weather conditions:

7. Heavy rains had started in the east and north of the Dominican
Republic on Tuesday morning. Because of the unusual shape of the storm,
the major impact has been felt in northern parts of the country
especially along the north and northeast coast. The

8. Several provinces are still under red alert: Santo Domingo, the
National District, San Cristobal, Monte Plata, Santiago, Santiago
Rodriguez, Puerto Plata, Espaillat, Mirabal sisters, Duarte, Maria
Trinidad Sanchez, Samana, Montecristi, Valverde, Sanchez Ramirez, El
Seibo , La Romana, Hato Mayor, La Altagracia, Monsenor Nouel, Peravia,
Azua, San Jose de Ocoa, Pedernales, Independencia, San Juan de la
Maguana and Barahona.

9. The most affected municipalities both in terms of casualties,
flooding and damages are Santiago, La Vega, Bonao, Nagua, Arenoso y
Villa Riva (below Yuna) Puerto Plata, Monte Plata y El Seibo in the
north east as a consequence of swollen rivers, mainly Rio Yaque del
Norte. Flooding is also expected in the municipalities of Mao y
Montecristi.

10. The Santiago emergency authorities declared a State of Emergency on
12 December for the areas located on the banks and areas adjacent of Rio
Yaque del Norte due to the damage.

Forecast:

11. The National Meteorological Office ONAMET forecasts that rains and
wind gusts will continue for the next 24 to 48 hours in most of the
country, with more intensity in the regions of Norte, North East, South
East and Valle del Cibao with possible rainfall accumulation of up to
100 to 150 millimeters. Rains are expected until Friday. Floods and
mudslides alerts are still maintained in the provinces of Puerto Plata,
Maria Trinidad S=E1nchez, Saman=E1, Espaillat, Duarte, el Bajo Yuna, La
Romana, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo, San Cristobal y Bani.

Impact:

12. So far the death toll stands at 11 people and dozens are missing.
Some 35,280 persons were evacuated, 3,727 are in shelters; 6,763 houses
were damaged, 36 destroyed and 76 communities are isolated. Three
bridges have been damaged.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

13. President Leonel Fern=E1ndez visited on 12 December Santiago to
observe the damages caused by "Olga" that are estimated to reach
millions of pesos. The President has put in place special measures to
assist those threatened by the floods.

14. The Emergency Operation Centre announced that it will provide
assistance to the most vulnerable that were affected by "Olga".

15. The army and police forces were mobilized to assist the emergency
operations. Armed forces had evacuated in advance of the storm the
communities of Higuey, San Pedro de Macoris, Hato Mayor, Nagua, el Bajo
Yuna, Saman=E1 and Jaquimeyes.

16. The Social Plan of the Presidency has started the distribution of
food in the affected provinces, notably in Santiago, La Vega, San
Francisco de Macoris, Monsenor Nouel and Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo).

17. Large search and rescue operations and evacuations were carried out
in the North and Northeast. Pressure and water level in damns are being
closely monitored by authorities as some damns have almost reached their
maximum capacity, notably Taveras and Sabana Yegua. The Technical
Committee of Damns had to increase the drainage of the pressure in the
Travera damn to avoid its collapse due to rainfall registered in the
basin of the Yaque del Norte.

18. The Secretary of Education has indicated that classes will resume in
the areas that were not affected by Olga. However, the Secretary of
Education and higher education announced on 11 December the indefinite
suspension of classes as long as the alert and threats exist.

19. The Public Health Secretary has installed three hospitals in the
most affected areas of Santiago. In addition, on 11 December, all the
health system had been mobilized to respond to the emergency.

20. Indications are that the impact will not be as severe as with "Noel"
but could seriously complicate post-Noel recovery in areas that will
have been hit twice.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

21. UN system has re-activated emergency systems and is monitoring the
situation closely.

22. The Dominican Red Cross (DRC) emergency response teams are on alert
and 2,000 volunteers are waiting for the situation to evolve in order to
provide assistance. The NS also has 10 coordination centres and more
than 117 operative centres waiting for further instructions if needed.
There is one Regional Intervention Team (RIT) member already positioned
in country supporting another emergency and is available if further
assistance is needed. There are several Partner National Societies (PNS)
present in country who are informed and alerted of the situation in
order to provide further assistance if the conditions worsen. The
Operation Centre has been activated and is in contact with all
pertaining agencies in country.

23. The National Societies of the Dominican Republic, with the support
of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
(IFRC), has determined that external assistance is not required at this
time, and are therefore not seeking funding or other assistance from
donors at this time

24. A meeting was held between IFRC and the Latin America and the
Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (REDLAC) in order to share
information about this emergency and other recent ones in the region.

25. All United Nations agencies present in the Dominican Republic have
stated to be working at full capacity in response to recent emergencies.
The OCHA Regional Office in Panama is in contact with the Resident
Coordinator in the Dominican Republic and stands ready to assist as
required.

26. This situation report, together with further information regarding
on-going emergencies, is also available on the Reliefweb:
http://www.reliefweb.int.


Contact Details

For detailed information please contact:

Desk Officer

(New York)
Ms. Heidi Kuttab
Office Tel: +1 917 367-3365
Office Fax: +1 212 963-36 30
E-mail: kuttab@un.org


GCMS

(Geneva)
Ms. Aoibheann O'Keeffe
Office Tel: +41 22 917 4329
E-mail: okeeffe@un.org

OCHA Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
Mr. Douglas Reimer
Regional Disaster Response Adviser
Office Tel. +507 317-1748
Office Fax +507 317-1744
Mobile: +507 6676-1689
E-mail: reimer@un.org


Press Contact:

(New York)
Ms. Stephanie Bunker
Office Tel : + 1 917-367-5126
Office Fax: + 1 212-963-1312
Email: bunker@un.org

(Geneva)
Ms. Elizabeth Byrs Office
Tel + 41 22 917 26 53
Office Fax + 41 22 917 00 20
E-mail: byrs@un.org

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