Hurricane Fiona Causes Damage At Punta Cana Resorts In Dominican Republic

Last Updated 1 year ago

Hurricane season in the Caribbean has been announced months ago and will continue until November. This week, evacuations started in the Dominican Republic, and Punta Cana was declared a disaster zone as hurricane Fiona passes through this top destination in the Caribbean.

Local residents have been deeply affected by Hurricane Fiona, and also travelers staying at popular resorts in Punta Cana experienced a nightmare vacation. Resort guests have shared videos and images of the havoc through social media channels.

Structure in the Caribbean destroyed by hurricane .jpeg

Hotels and resorts in Cap Cana were temporarily closed—Hyatt Zilara, Hyatt Ziva, and Sanctuary Cap Cana— and are now in the process of fixing damages, cleaning, and preparing installations. Through a statement, the hotel chain said: “Current guests of Sanctuary Cap Cana, Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana, or Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana will be relocated to a sister property or may choose to depart early without incurring penalties.”

Cap Cana was the most affected hotel area in the Dominican Republic. Fortunately, hurricane Fiona arrived in category 1 in the country with maximum winds of 90 mph, and most services will be able to be restored.

@drakonghidorah
The aftermath hurricane Fiona – Punta Cana
♬ original sound – Ghidorah

Travelers Share Their Experiences On Social Media

Impressive images of heavy rains and dangerous winds, hotel tables and chairs flying and moving across lobbies and pool areas, along with nervous laughter, have been shared on social media by hotel guests. Fear —and in some cases dark humor— has governed tourists’ most recent experiences in the Dominican Republic.

One Tiktok user, @evpro_, staying at the resort RIU Republica in Punta Cana, shared images of the beginning of the storm. It shows hotel employees arranging desks and tables, nervous guests, and people screaming. The user states in the video: “It’s coming, no one knows what to do”.

@evpro_ Hotel staff have done a fantastic job at clearing up 👏🏼 #hurricanefiona #dominicanrepublic #puntacana #riurepublica #hurricane ♬ Darling – Trees and Lucy

The user later shared more videos of the aftermath and explained that they were safe and showed images of trees broken and dragged to different hotel areas. He also recognized the hotel staff for their great work fixing the damages and taking care of guests.

A polish traveler, Julia Glezner, also shared images of her experiences and showed the storm, the food she and her partner ate in their room, as well as the resort damage: broken trees, destroyed structures, floods, and unfortunate weather.

@shuni82
♬ I Wanna Go Home – Fat Cat

Despite the scary and unforgettable experience, in recent posts, she also shared images of her and her boyfriend enjoying the hotel pool—already cleaned and restored for guests—, reading, and drinking beverages.

Hotel And Airport Services Quickly Restored

Most travelers have shown that the worst of Hurricane Fiona has passed and that local authorities and hotel staff are doing their best to restore services and amenities for tourism.

@lesther.me Huracán Fiona #fiona #huracan #republicadominicana #alerta #playa #fypシ #viral ♬ noo mis ahorros mi dinero – 😈toxi😈

Rafael Blanco Tejera, President of The Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Sosúa and Cabarete (Ashoresoca by its Spanish Acronym), said: “The vast majority of hotel rooms are operating, and it is reported that in most hotels, the damage to infrastructure was minimal and that the main impact was seen in light structures on the beaches, as well as fallen trees and bushes.”

@trevorbarrow355
hurricane fiona majestic mirage punta cana nothing really serious no electricity or water for a short time but all clearing now
♬ original sound – Trevor Barrow

Tejera also thanked local and international tourists for following instructions and the emergency protocol. Ashoresoca’s president also requested local authorities to restore access to local beaches so that travelers can resume their vacations.

International airports in Punta Cana, La Romana, Puerto Plata, and other tourist destinations have already restored services. The executive director of the Airport Department, Víctor Pichardo, said: “We were able to check throughout the route, at the airports of Punta Cana and La Romana, that all state agencies are working normally.”

@victoriamansaku PUNTA CANA vs HURRICANE FIONA I never thought I’d experience a hurricane but we did and I’m thankful we were all okay! There’s quite a lot of damage around the hotel and the staff have been working non stop and have already cleaned up so much 👌🏻 It’s definitely a vacation I will never forget! #hurricanefiona #dominicanrepublic #republicadominicana #tropicalstorm #hurricanedominicanrepublic #hurricanepuntacana #royaltonbavaro #caribbean #islandvacation ♬ Oh No – Kreepa

Pichardo also added: “We want to highlight that in the Dominican Republic and, especially in the eastern region of the country, the airports are in normal conditions and are providing services to all passengers.”