One Person Missing And 17 Provinces On Alert For Heavy Rains In Dominican Republic

Last Updated 2 years ago

One person has gone missing and several hundred people have been evacuated amidst heavy rains in the Dominican Republic this week, which have persisted for three days already. The country’s weather service has placed 17 regions on high alert as a result of the intense precipitation. The rainfall is expected to continue until Tuesday night in many parts of the country. The Dominican Republic has been experiencing rainy weather this year, and April was one of the rainiest months in the country since at least 2017.

A low-pressure system that is sweeping across the Dominican Republic has led to increased rainfall across the Caribbean island in the past few days. Currently, 17 provinces in the Dominican Republic are on yellow alert – the second-highest level – due to bad weather conditions, including strong gusts of wind and occasional thunderstorms. There has been damage to households in the capital and other regions, and 300 people have been evacuated.

Heavy rain and strong winds continue to affect different parts of the country. The country’s meteorological agency’s forecast indicates that the Caribbean coast, as well as the northeast, southeast, southwest, and central areas of the country, are most affected. Among the provinces on yellow alert are San Pedro De Marcorís, La Romana, and La Altagracia.

Thunderstorms, downpours, and strong gusts of wind are expected to continue throughout Tuesday, especially during the afternoon and early evening. Wednesday should see a gradual improvement in weather conditions with more sun forecast for most of the country. Meanwhile, temperatures will remain pleasant thanks to the rain, with temperatures in the low to mid-80s.

Meteorologists say that weather conditions including humidity and wind are increasing the severity of the rain. They note that the likelihood of tropical storms is higher as a result. This is due to a low-pressure system across much of the country, as well as humid conditions coming from the northeastern parts of Haiti.

Much of the country’s water infrastructure has also been affected, which may lead to disruptions across large regions of the island. Up to 267,000 people have had their water supplies cut off temporarily.

The stormy weather over the past few days has caused damage to homes and public infrastructure in different parts of the country. The emergency operations center said that around 60 homes were partially destroyed and more than 300 were relocated to safer places. Moreover, there are three communities that have been completely isolated by the heavy rains, and one highway remains closed.

Civil protection officials have instructed residents to take extra precautions during the heavy rainfall. This is especially important for people who live close to rivers or streams, which are at higher risk of flooding. Visitors should also avoid narrow passages in the country’s forests, which may experience flash floods.

Strong Hurricane Season Expected In The Dominican Republic

Meteorologists are predicting an unusually strong hurricane season on the Caribbean island. The low-pressure system that has caused heavy rains for some time in the Dominican Republic is also an indicator of potentially destructive hurricanes.

Experts from the AccuWeather forecast service as well as several universities have stated that the country could see up to 20 tropical storms over the next few months. Of those, several could become category 3 or stronger hurricanes.

The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from early June until late November. However, there is a chance it might begin earlier this year due to a weather phenomenon known as La Nina, which leads to stronger and more frequent hurricanes.

Visitors headed to the Caribbean island should plan ahead and routinely check the forecast for hurricane warnings. Tropical storms hit the country relatively frequently, and they may become hurricanes at short notice.