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A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 16 august 2023
Death toll rises to 10 in powerful explosion near capital of

Dominican Republic; 11 others missing

By M. A. ALCÁNTARA and erinary clinic, told reporters
DÁNICA COTO that one of his 15 employ-
Associated Press ees is still missing.
SAN CRISTOBAL, Domini- “An office wall fell on top
can Republic (AP) — The of me,” he recalled. “I
death toll from a powerful couldn’t breathe.”
explosion near the Domini- Juan Jiménez, a farmer
can Republic’s capital rose who lives several miles from
Tuesday to 10 with doz- where the explosion oc-
ens injured, as firefighters curred, said he thought it
searched through smol- was thunder at first given
dering rubble and people the usual storms that occur
cried outside hospitals look- in August.
ing for missing loved ones. He is now waiting for in-
President Luis Abinader vis- formation on his female
ited San Cristobal, located cousin, a 31-year-old pro-
just west of Sango Domin- fessor who remains missing.
go, to meet with those af- Smoke still smothered the
fected, saying an addition- city’s center on Tuesday,
al 11 people were missing and Rivera urged everyone
and that authorities were to wear face masks.
still trying to extinguish the “This smoke is mixed with
fire amid collapsed build- Firefighters work next to destroyed vehicles after a powerful explosion in San Cristobal, Dominican chemicals,” he warned.
ings and charred vehicles. Republic, Monday, Aug 14, 2023. Rivera said he and other
“We’re doing everything Associated Press officials will go door to
humanly possible ... to in- door to ensure that people
vestigate the situation of remained hospitalized, he aunt is still missing. people buy goods ranging have masks and determine
the 11 missing,” he said. said. “We don’t know if she’s from vegetables to clothes. whether they had any re-
“The search for survivors Health Minister Daniel Ri- dead or alive,” she said The fire then spread to a spiratory or skin problems.
has been very difficult.” vera said authorities have with tearful eyes as she hardware store next door He also was expected to
At least 10 people were still not been able to ac- waited outside a local hos- and a nearby furniture visit patients at a local hos-
killed and more than 50 cess “ground zero” where pital, feeling full of “frustra- store. pital where people were still
people were injured in the explosion occurred be- tion, pain and distress.” Among the victims was searching for loved ones.
Monday’s explosion at a cause it was still burning. The country’s emergency a 4-month-old baby who “The first 24 hours are very
bustling commercial cen- Estefani Alcántara said her telephone system said the died from head trauma important,” he said, adding
ter in San Cristobal, said family was shopping when explosion occurred at a and a woman who worked that injuries included burns,
Joel Santos, minister of the the explosion occurred. Her bakery in the city’s center, at a bank, officials said. fractures and respiratory
presidency. uncle, 42, is hospitalized a bustling area known as José Ramón Ramírez Rive- problems.q
At least 36 of the injured with serious injuries and her “Old Marketplace,” where ra, the owner of a local vet-

Environmentalists sue Puerto Rican government over location of

renewable energy projects

By DÁNICA COTO they should instead be built tural land to install solar ready in precarious condi- The groups suing also ac-
Associated Press on roofs, parking lots, land- projects of an industrial tion,” said David Sotomay- cused the Energy Bureau
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico fills in disuse and previously magnitude is a serious at- or, a soils professor at the of withholding the names
(AP) — Activists and envi- contaminated grounds. tack on the food security University of Puerto Rico. of the projects and other
ronmental groups includ- “The loss of prime agricul- of Puerto Rico, which is al- Puerto Rico’s Energy Bu- details because of alleged
ing the Sierra Club sued reau has so far approved confidentiality, noting they
Puerto Rico’s government 18 projects on more than had to go to court to ob-
Monday over the planned 2,000 hectares that the tain what is supposed to be
location of dozens of re- lawsuit states are classi- public information.
newable energy projects fied as special agricultural The lawsuit comes as the
meant to ease the U.S. terri- reserve and specially pro- government of Puerto Rico
tory’s power woes. tected rustic land. prepares to consider doz-
The lawsuit claims the proj- A spokeswoman for the En- ens of additional renewable
ects would be built on lands ergy Bureau did not return energy projects in a push to
that are ecologically sensi- a message for comment. lessen its dependence on
tive and of high agricultural Meanwhile, a spokeswom- oil. Petroleum accounts for
value, a violation of local an for Puerto Rico’s Justice nearly 60% of the island’s
laws. Department, which also energy use, followed by
The groups requested that was named in the lawsuit, natural gas at 28%, coal
a judge prohibit various lo- said the agency had not around 12% and renew-
cal government agencies Workers restore power lines damaged by Hurricane Maria in received a copy of the ables only 2%, according to
from approving projects Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, Oct. 15, 2017. lawsuit and has not been the U.S. Energy Information
on such lands, noting that Associated Press able to review it. Administration.q