Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10SANTODOMINGO11
2010-01-13 16:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:
SANTO DOMINGO EARTHQUAKE SITREP 1
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHDG #0011/01 0131629 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 131629Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0523 INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEHWSR/WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMCSUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000011
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT HA DR
SUBJECT: SANTO DOMINGO EARTHQUAKE SITREP 1
SUMMARY
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000011
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT HA DR
SUBJECT: SANTO DOMINGO EARTHQUAKE SITREP 1
SUMMARY
1. Embassy Santo Domingo Earthquake Sitrep 1:
n The Haiti earthquake caused tremors in the Dominican Republic,
but minimal damage.
n Wardens report no Americans missing or casualties.
n President Fernandez told Charge that the Dominican Government is
prepared to provide military and civilian resources to assist
Haitian relief efforts.
n Dominican Defense Minister is at the southern border town of
Jimini to view the situation and set up a command center.
n Dominican Air Force assets are on stand-by to fly to Haiti.
n Embassy recommends that any air evacuation of Embassy Haiti
personnel and Amcits to Santo Domingo enter via San Isidro military
airport rather than Las Americas International Airport.
DR SUFFERS MINIMAL DAMAGE
2. According to Civil Defense officials and the media, the
Dominican Republic suffered minimal damages from the Haiti
earthquake. A major electricity line in the southern region was
disrupted, but quickly repaired. Strong tremors were felt in the
major cities of Santo Domingo and Santiago, but no buildings were
reported as collapsing. The Santo Domingo metro was temporarily
closed as a precautionary measure, and Tsunami alerts were issued
for 18 of the 32 provinces.
AMCITS OK
3. The full warden network responded quickly to the crisis and
reported to the Consulate that no registered Amcits in their areas
of responsibility appear to have been adversely affected by the
earthquake.
DOMINICAN GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO HELP
4. Charge spoke with President Leonel Fernandez the evening of
1/12/10, and the President provided assurances that the Dominican
Government (GoDR) is prepared to provide military and civilian
resources to assist in Haiti relief efforts. Presidential Press
Spokesman Rafael Nunez held a press conference that same evening to
announce that the GoDR's Emergency Operations Center has been
activated and that resources were being prepared for dispatch to
Haiti.
ARMED FORCES GEARING UP
5. DATT and MAAG have been in constant contact with Dominican
military sources and report:
n The Dominican Air Force is prepared to send four Huey II
helicopters, two Casa 212 fixed-wing cargo aircraft, and a limited
search and rescue team (dogs and medics) to Haiti as soon as it
gets the green light that it can land these assets in Port au
Prince.
n Defense Minister Gen. Pena Antonio flew to the southern border
town of Jimini the morning of 1/13/10, with three Huey IIs, to view
the situation on the border and set up a command center there.
n Military officials have offered to support USG relief efforts.
n Military resources in the border region are being strengthened
to assist in relief efforts as needed.
n The Armed Forces are in communication with the Dominican
Ambassador and DATT in Haiti.
EVACUATION OF EMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PERSONNEL AND AMCITS
6. Post understands that an air evacuation of Embassy Port au
Prince personnel and Amcits from Haiti will go via Santo Domingo.
We suggest that such an evacuation be staged through the San Isidro
military airport (MDSI) in Santo Domingo, rather than through the
Las Americas International Airport. It will be easier to provide
any necessary assistance and perform security checks at San Isidro,
and it will also be easier to handle charter flights from there.
Should onward evacuation to the U.S. be via commercial flights, it
will be a simple process to hire busses to take passengers from San
Isidro to the nearby Las Americas airport.
7. Port au Prince Minimize Considered.
Lambert
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT HA DR
SUBJECT: SANTO DOMINGO EARTHQUAKE SITREP 1
SUMMARY
1. Embassy Santo Domingo Earthquake Sitrep 1:
n The Haiti earthquake caused tremors in the Dominican Republic,
but minimal damage.
n Wardens report no Americans missing or casualties.
n President Fernandez told Charge that the Dominican Government is
prepared to provide military and civilian resources to assist
Haitian relief efforts.
n Dominican Defense Minister is at the southern border town of
Jimini to view the situation and set up a command center.
n Dominican Air Force assets are on stand-by to fly to Haiti.
n Embassy recommends that any air evacuation of Embassy Haiti
personnel and Amcits to Santo Domingo enter via San Isidro military
airport rather than Las Americas International Airport.
DR SUFFERS MINIMAL DAMAGE
2. According to Civil Defense officials and the media, the
Dominican Republic suffered minimal damages from the Haiti
earthquake. A major electricity line in the southern region was
disrupted, but quickly repaired. Strong tremors were felt in the
major cities of Santo Domingo and Santiago, but no buildings were
reported as collapsing. The Santo Domingo metro was temporarily
closed as a precautionary measure, and Tsunami alerts were issued
for 18 of the 32 provinces.
AMCITS OK
3. The full warden network responded quickly to the crisis and
reported to the Consulate that no registered Amcits in their areas
of responsibility appear to have been adversely affected by the
earthquake.
DOMINICAN GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO HELP
4. Charge spoke with President Leonel Fernandez the evening of
1/12/10, and the President provided assurances that the Dominican
Government (GoDR) is prepared to provide military and civilian
resources to assist in Haiti relief efforts. Presidential Press
Spokesman Rafael Nunez held a press conference that same evening to
announce that the GoDR's Emergency Operations Center has been
activated and that resources were being prepared for dispatch to
Haiti.
ARMED FORCES GEARING UP
5. DATT and MAAG have been in constant contact with Dominican
military sources and report:
n The Dominican Air Force is prepared to send four Huey II
helicopters, two Casa 212 fixed-wing cargo aircraft, and a limited
search and rescue team (dogs and medics) to Haiti as soon as it
gets the green light that it can land these assets in Port au
Prince.
n Defense Minister Gen. Pena Antonio flew to the southern border
town of Jimini the morning of 1/13/10, with three Huey IIs, to view
the situation on the border and set up a command center there.
n Military officials have offered to support USG relief efforts.
n Military resources in the border region are being strengthened
to assist in relief efforts as needed.
n The Armed Forces are in communication with the Dominican
Ambassador and DATT in Haiti.
EVACUATION OF EMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PERSONNEL AND AMCITS
6. Post understands that an air evacuation of Embassy Port au
Prince personnel and Amcits from Haiti will go via Santo Domingo.
We suggest that such an evacuation be staged through the San Isidro
military airport (MDSI) in Santo Domingo, rather than through the
Las Americas International Airport. It will be easier to provide
any necessary assistance and perform security checks at San Isidro,
and it will also be easier to handle charter flights from there.
Should onward evacuation to the U.S. be via commercial flights, it
will be a simple process to hire busses to take passengers from San
Isidro to the nearby Las Americas airport.
7. Port au Prince Minimize Considered.
Lambert