President visits storm damaged areas

President Fernández visited the country’s areas worst hit by the recent Hanna and Ike hurricanes last week. The tour took him through Ázua, San José de Ocoa and Barahona all of which suffered property damage due to flooding.
Fernández promised those that had lost their homes that he would build them new homes and would re-channel the Vaca and Echal creeks, the ones that caused all of the damage in the upper parts of San José de Ocoa.
The communications infrastructure was severely damaged during the storms, with thousands of people unable to make contact.
Fernández ordered the construction of a new bridge over the Cueva river which would enable access for 22,000 people recently marooned. 38 communities have been cut off from the rest of Ocoa for the last three weeks, and locals refer to the river as “untamed”.
When conditions are right, mules can make the journey, but more recently, only helicopters and small aircraft can reach the villagers.
The problems for the villagers were highlighted by the governor of Ázua, Isvelio Delgadillo, who said, "We have been getting food to them, a much as we can with what we have, and weather permitting, but in the markets there isn't even any salt."
Further information came from the mayor of Guayabal, Alcibíades Vicente, who said, "There is a lot of hunger and misery around here. And this is year round, not counting hurricanes. We have no telephone communication; many times women who are giving birth or the sick have to stay in their houses or risk using a mule to cross that untamed river."
With thousands of homes destroyed, many people are now living in makeshift camps, schools, and various other buildings conscripted for temporary use such as the Olympic Village in Barahona.
The President’s statement regarding the homeless said that "we'll find rental properties where the victims can go on a provisional basis, while the National Housing Institute (INVI) builds some modest, but comfortable units that are fit for these families left homeless." He also indicated that the government would pay the rentals on properties for the homeless, so that normality could be restored to schools and other required buildings.