washington world bank thursday approve 150 million disaster finance dominican republic help good prepare natural disasters weeks country pummel two major hurricanes loan first contingency line credit approve world bank caribbean country so-called catastrophe defer drawdown option facility provide countries finance prepare natural disasters without take government resources away social development program world bank say dominican republic batter hurricane irma sept. drench days late hurricane maria force evacuations damage infrastructure home finance help us mitigate risk climate shock natural disasters well pandemics dominican republic president danilo medina say statement tahseen say world bank director caribbean say finance would help dominican republic strengthen speed response disasters important lesson experience disaster response across world invest prevention preparedness able respond speedily disaster strike say say economic damage disasters dominican republican estimate 420 million year accord recent world bank ministry economy plan development study world bank approve 150 million disaster fund dominican republic