Dominican Republic PCVs safe after floods
Advisory: Peace Corps Volunteers in Dominican Republic Safe
Caption: International volunteers distribute clothes among flood victims in Jimani, 280km from Santo Domingo. International rescuers in Haiti and the Dominican Republic raced to deliver aid to victims of flooding that killed at least 958 people, amid fears the toll would sharply rise.(AFP/File/Iris Perez)
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 28, 2004 – 3:00 PM EST – In light of the recent flooding, all Peace Corps volunteers currently serving in the Dominican Republic have been contacted by Peace Corps staff and are safe. No volunteers are serving in or near the area affected by the heavy rains and floods.
Even though volunteers were not in immediate flood zones or danger, the Peace Corps post activated their Emergency Action Plan to verify the safety of all 162 volunteers.
Peace Corps headquarters and staff in the Dominican Republic will continue to monitor the situation as rain has been forecast for the weekend.
In preparation for possible natural disasters, each Peace Corps program has an Emergency Action Plan specific to that country. The plans are tested frequently and information is updated constantly. Posts are prepared for all emergencies.
Families may contact the Peace Corps’ Office of Special Services with any questions or concerns they may have. Special Services maintains a 24-hour a day, 7 days a week duty system. The telephone number during standard office hours is 1-800-424-8580, Extension 1470; the after hours number is 202-638-2574. The Office of Special Services can also be contacted via e-mail at ossdutyofficer@peacecorps.gov.
