Santo Domingo.- The Senate on Wednesday approveda bill that authorizes president Danilo Medina to declare a State of Emergencyin 15 northern and eastern provinces affected by rains and floods.
The measure paves the way for Medina todeclare a state of emergency in Puerto Plata, La Vega, Espaillat, MaríaTrinidad Sánchez, Santiago, Duarte, Samaná, Sánchez Ramírez, Monte Cristi, LaAltagracia, Hermanas Mirabal, Hato Mayor, Valverde, El Seibo and Monseñor Noel provinces.
This authorization requested by the Executivegives government agencies extraordinary powers to conduct the repairs,constructions and reconstructions needed to mitigate the vast damages caused byweeks of torrential rains in those provinces.