public safety

Flood damage surveyed

The damage caused to shopping malls Los Pueblos and Los Pueblos 2000 by flooding on Oct. 31 is more serious than officials originally thought.

The overflowing of the Juan Díaz River left the foundations of some stores exposed. In addition, the land covering the foundations of the vehicular bridges leading to the malls were undermined by the strength of the current.

The administrator of Los Pueblos, Yoideth Espinosa, said the mall is considering building concrete barriers to prevent future erosion.

“The board is evaluating what steps to take to prevent more damage,” Espinosa said.

Jorge Pitalúa, director of maintenance with the Ministry of Public Works, noted that the repair work is the responsibility of the shopping centers.

“It's a public easement, but the ministry can not do this kind of work because it would be like maintaining the entry to each house,” he said.

Espinoza added that, weeks before the flood, the ministry dredged the river, which prevented the flooding from being worse than it was. This move likely kept the river from overflowing its banks and flooding the stores themselves.

The administrator of Los Pueblos 2000, Anabelle de Morales, said she has also discussed possible solutions with an engineer.