Aircraft and Shipping
The National Hurricane Center and ONAMET are still maintaining hurricane warnings for the south western peninsula of the Dominican Republic well as tropical storm warnings for the rest of the south coast.  Boat owners of all crafts have been advised to remain in port and not venture out to open seas. Haiti ordered flights and coastal shipping to be suspended and evacuated coastal resorts. 

At the country’s main airport in Santo Domingo, Las Americas, 22 out of 38 flights were cancelled.  Iberia, American, Copa and U.S. Airways flights were all rescheduled yesterday and are now due to arrive early Sunday (today).

Life Casualties and Destruction
In the Manresa neighborhood which is to the west of Santo Domingo, five homes have been totally destroyed by the strong waves pounding from the sea front.  House owners were evacuated and are currently staying with friends and relatives.  A 16 year old boy named Daniel Sentil was carried out to sea when a wave swept him off the sea front and has drowned.   His mother Elena Sentil is being comforted by relatives as she mourns her poor boy. Despite the Government and military putting out warnings to locals not to go near the sea front, curious crowds of on lookers gathered yesterday to watch the massive wave activity.  Daniel was among a group of friends who had approached the sea front to see what was happening when tragedy struck.
There have been other people injured in the winds and rains none life threatening but all needing hospital treatment.

In Barahona the emergency corps had the impossible task of removing crowds who had gathered to party along the city’s sea front avenue. The Governor of Barahona Mr. Carlos Manuel Florian who is head of the provisional Emergency Operations Center said that plans were all in place to act in response to any needs that may arise as a result of the winds and rains.

Emergency services are still on full alert in the south and southwestern regions of the Dominican Republic.

Jamaica Braces for Hurricane Dean
Hurricane Dean has already approached Jamaica in the early hours of this morning with everyone hugely concerned that this will turn out to be a potentially catastrophic situation as the category 5 storm is capable of causing death and widespread destruction through out the island.

Tourists have been fleeing resort in the path of the storm as the massive swell has progressed from the outskirts of the Dominican Republic and plowed on towards Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and also the Mexican Coast.

Curfews of 48 hours have now been put in place and mandatory evacuation of low lying and flood areas are being carried out.  The airport in Montego Bay has now been closed and also Port-au-Prince airport in Haiti remains shut.

Jamaica is dead center of the storms expected track and residents yesterday have been stocking up on gasoline, essential food items and batteries, candles and other provisions, as they realize by now this could be a long wait before conditions return to normal. On TV long lines have been shown as people wait at petrol pumps and super market shelves are bare.

Cuba
Already in Cuba evacuation of tens of thousands of people has commenced in six eastern provinces attempting to move people out of harms way before flooding and destruction occurs.
The civil defense authorities have said that around 35,000 people were targeted by the evacuation order in the southeastern province of Holguin alone.  Tourist programmes have been suspended across the island.

Mexico
The Mexican Go9vernement has called a State of Emergency in the country and the state oil firm named Pemex launched its hurricane response plan.  They have shut down platforms and are evacuating personnel as Dean seems to be heading towards the southern Gulf of Mexico oilfields and reefing center of Tampico.

In the Quintana Roo state, the Governor Mr. Felix Gonzalez has ordered the evacuation of 80,000 tourists from Cancun and other popular tourist areas along the Mayan Riviera and has also suspended the arrival of further tourists.  He said that they ar3e capable of evacuating around 30,000 tourists by air everyday and that will give enough time to leave hotel occupancy at a minimum.  A reasonable number of guests can be put up in shelters when the hurricane arrives.