THE CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
SITUATION REPORT: TROPICAL STORM OLGA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
December 14, 2007


SITUATION: At least 38 people have died as a result of Tropical Storm 
Olga, authorities have said. The toll rose today with the discovery of 
the bodies of 12 Haitians near the Haitian-Dominican border.

It appears the Haitians, whose bodies were found near the village of 
Castanuelas, were undocumented workers who hid during evacuation from 
floodwaters, the Reuters news agency reported.

Olga was a rare December tropical storm that also affected parts of 
Haiti and Puerto Rico; at least two died in Haiti and one perished in 
Puerto Rico.

Survivors of the disaster in the Dominican Republic have severely 
criticized authorities for a decision to release floodgates of a dam 
believed to have caused the bulk of the deaths in the DR. The decision 
was made because of fears that the collapse of the dam could kill 
thousands in the city of Santiago, the Dominican Republic's 
second-largest city.

The wall of water came as people were still asleep; residents were given 
only short notice to evacuate, according to reports. The storm forced 
the evacuation of some 24,000 persons and destroyed about 5,000 homes.

Long-time Church World Service partner Social Service of Dominican 
Churches (SSID) said it appears that Olga might prove even more 
catastrophic to the DR in terms of damage than Noel, a late October 
storm that killed at least 89 people and left 42 persons missing.


CWS RESPONSE: CWS, which has issued an appeal for support of CWS 
partners' efforts in responding to Noel, will support efforts by SSID 
and other CWS partners in the region as necessary. However, it is not 
known yet if there will be an appeal issued for this disaster.

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is 
responding -- or to make a credit card contribution -- please visit the 
Church World Service Website at www.churchworldservice.org or phone 
(800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts: (212) 870-3151;

Executive Director: Donna Derr, dderr@churchworldservice.org

CWS / ERP web site: www.cwserp.org


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