Devastation in the Dominican Republic: Over 20 fatalities caused by heavy rainfall and storm

According to officials, heavy rainfall in the Dominican Republic over the weekend has resulted in the deaths of at least 21 people and the displacement of thousands of residents. In the capital city of Santo Domingo, nine individuals lost their lives when a tunnel wall collapsed due to the torrential rain. In response to the downpours, over 13,000 people were evacuated to safer areas. The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported numerous consequences including flooded homes, power outages, and damaged infrastructure such as bridges and roads. Sadly, three children were among those who died. Dominican President Luis Abinader described this as the country's worst rainfall event in history following two days of heavy storms. Videos circulating on social media depicted streets being flooded and vehicles being washed away by the powerful currents. The storm affected over 2,600 homes and more than 2,500 people were rescued. As of Sunday afternoon, 45 communities were also left without communication. The US embassy stated that the tropical depression causing this rainfall is projected to continue in parts of the country until Monday. The majority of the nation's 32 provinces are currently under red and yellow weather alerts. In response to the situation, President Abinader suspended classes until Wednesday, explaining that this measure aims to assess the safety of affected schools and protect the well-being of students. He expressed deep sorrow for the loss of life caused by the heavy rains and pledged unwavering support to all those impacted by this emergency. Additionally, four of the fatalities were US citizens, while three were from neighboring Haiti, according to AFP news agency.