Constant rainfall and strong gusts of wind tore up trees, electricity and telephone posts leaving the city of one million inhabitants without energy.

Authorities estimated that the climate disturbance could be an off shoot of the tropical storm Alma that hours before lashed two Central American countries causing loss of human lives and considerable economic damages.

Early this year regions of Santiago suffered enormous human and economic damages during the passing of a tropical storm and relieving a reservoir that provoked national controversy.

The passing of this phenomenon promoted emergency measures, specially for residents along river shores, cliffs and slopes with landslides.

Immediately the Emergency Operation Committee set up code red in the province of Dajabon (northeaster border with Haiti) and code green for 21 others.

For this year"s hurricane season specialized institutions predict up to 13 meteorological phenomena of this kind, seven of which can develop into hurricanes.

(PL)