Santo Domingo.– The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported this Monday that, given the advance of the hurricane Melissathe number of provinces under alert has been reduced, remaining only four in redwhile others eight remain on yellow alert and eleven more next to the National District turn green.
Melissa, now a category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, has maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h and is located near latitude 16.4 north and longitude 77.8 west, about 205 km south/southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and 505 km south/southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, moving slowly west at about 6 km/h.
The provinces on red alert are: Barahona, Pedernales, Independencia and Bahoruco.
In yellow alert are found: San José de Ocoa, Elías Piña, Dajabón, Azúa, Peravia, Monte Plata, San Juan and Monte Cristi.
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While Monseñor Nouel, San Cristóbal, National District, San Pedro de Macorís, Duarte, La Romana, Hato Mayor, Santo Domingo, La Altagracia, El Seibo, Santiago Rodríguez and Samaná they go to green alert.
The COE recommended to the population refrain from crossing rivers, streams and ravines with high volumes of water in the provinces under alert.
In the Caribbean coastespecially since Cape Beata (Pedernales) to Punta Salinas, Baníoperators of small and medium-sized vessels were instructed to remain in port due to strong winds and dangerous waveswhile the rest of the coast can carry out its activities with caution.
In the Atlantic coastit is advisable to browse carefully near the coastal perimeteravoiding venturing out to sea due to wind, abnormal waves and reduced visibility due to downpours and thunderstorms.
