The Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) reported that it will build two new bridges in the province of La Vega, due to the collapse of the old structures, and will intervene at several critical points where landslides have occurred in various communities impacted by the rains that have affected several regions of the country.
The bridges to be built are located in the communities of Quinto Patio and El Hatico, and three others will be repaired because they suffered considerable damage from flooding of several rivers.
The information was provided by the Deputy Minister of Supervision and Inspection of the MOPC, Roberto Herrera, during a visit to the affected areas.
Herrera, along with the provincial governor, Luisa de La Mota, led a working group with municipal authorities from that province, in order to mitigate the damage caused by the rains of the last few days in that area.
The official said he traveled to that province to assess the damage and provide an immediate response to those problems.
He stated that some of those bridges were already in the process of being demolished and subsequently rebuilt.
“We came here to see two of the bridges that have succumbed to these phenomena, and we as the authority will do what is our responsibility, what is appropriate, and that is why the instruction was given to close it and proceed with the construction company,” he explained.
In this regard, he stated that the contracting company has already been instructed to begin the work that is in the design phase, and that once it is completed and approved by the technical department of the Ministry, "they will then continue with the construction phase, which is what is required.".
He stated that the message is also being taken to the province of La Vega, as well as to Puerto Plata, which has also been greatly affected by the rains.
The rains that fell in recent days caused damage in La Vega. (External source).
He recalled that Public Works ordered a census of the number of bridges in the country, and that this census revealed that there are 2,336 bridges and that of those, 232 were classified as being in critical condition.
He mentioned that work is underway on the Casabito road in Constanza and the Manabao road in Jarabacoa, where teams have been sent, and that each situation will be addressed.
Other areas to be addressed by the MOPC include: Las 7 S, Jima, Rincón, La Descubierta de Constanza, among others.
The provincial governor, Luisa Jiménez, highlighted the interest of President Abinader and the Minister of Public Works in restoring the collapsed bridges to viable condition in a relatively short time.
He said that the city of La Vega also suffered serious consequences, with flooding in different sectors and neighborhoods, affecting hundreds of homes, which suffered overflows of the Camú, Pontón and Bauticito rivers, which impacted various communities, adding up to more than 1,200 affected homes.
“The houses on Juan Rodríguez street, in the old Riíto, were underwater due to the large amount of rain,” he said.
Present at the working table were Francisco Marte, mayor of Constanza; Robert Tolentino, director of the municipal district of Cutupú; Enrique de León, from Barranca; Adolfo Saldaña, from Ranchito; Olga Valdez, deputy director of the municipal district of Tavera, and Jacquelin Polonia, provincial director of Civil Defense.
During the tour, Vice Minister Herrera was accompanied by Robinson Durán, general coordinator of supervision, and Junior Miguel Taveras, head of the Cibao-South region of the MOPC.
