Franklin left 2 dead and landslides in San Cristóbal

Families of the Boruga area in the municipal district of Hato Damas are cut off from communication due to the flooding of the “Caquito” gully, which destroyed the provisional bridge they used to move around.

Those affected expressed that they have been fighting for more than three years for the authorities to clean and repair the gully. Still, the storm Franklin aggravated the whole valley, leaving a big hole that endangered the lives of children, older people, and the area’s inhabitants.

Juana Francisca Marte, who lives in Boruga, reported from the other end of the gully that she did not have time to escape during the collapse because, at that moment, the bridge was not there, leaving her stranded alone far from her neighbors.

Francisco Alcantará, another of those affected, said he is worried about the possibility of a landslide that could destroy all the surrounding houses.

In the area, 20 houses are on the verge of collapsing, and in the sector of Los Montones and Baden de la cañada de Daza, a place was more than 60% destroyed by the fall of a tree.

The road located in El Ramón is about to collapse; in the Jamey section, there were several landslides, and in the Los Hoyos sector, the sinkhole has increased and threatens to cut off the municipal districts of Hato Damas, Medina, and La Cuchilla.

During the storm, the gabion wall of the bridge that connects Hato Damas with the municipality of San Cristóbal collapsed.

The mayor of Hato Damas, Felix Alcantara, deplored what happened, alleging that everything could have been avoided if the authorities had followed up on the constant complaints of the area’s residents.

“We call on President Luis Abinader to come to the aid of these families of Boruga who are about to lose their homes, however we report that despite the damage in the district we have no deaths or injuries thank God but we urgently need solutions,” he said.

Damage was also registered in the foot wash.
Elías Galván, resident of the area, explained that the bridge that connects the exit of his house and his other neighbors collapsed in half due to the torrential rains of the storm Franklin.

“We had to create an improvised wooden bridge on the little wall that was left to be able to access our houses. We are very exposed to the danger, and it is something that gives us a lot of anxiety,” he expressed.

He indicated that the gully in front of his house has become a source of contamination that worsens the health of those living around it daily.

Galván said that during the storm’s passage, Franklin did not go to the collection centers set up by the civil defense for fear that the delinquents would steal her belongings and she would be unable to recover them.