21 dead after storms in the Dominican Republic
According to the media, heavy rainfall in the Dominican Republic over the weekend has claimed the lives of at least 21 people. In addition to the 21 deaths confirmed by the National Civil Protection (COE), there were at least eight more deaths, wrote the newspaper "Diario Libre" on Sunday (local time) based on its own information.
The heavy rain had caused flooding in several provinces of the country, which is located in the east of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
On Saturday alone, nine people were killed when walls collapsed on a street in the capital Santo Domingo and the debris hit five cars, reported the newspaper "El Nacional". In a post on Facebook, President Luis Abinader spoke of the heaviest rainfall in the country's history. According to him, schools were to remain closed on Monday and Tuesday for safety reasons. Experts were to inspect the buildings for any damage.
US-Americans, Haitians and several children were among the dead, "El Nacional" further reported. The National Civil Protection warned residents not to cross rivers and streams, among other things. 14 provinces were still on high alert due to the risk of flooding, especially in the south of the country. Haiti lies to the west of the island of Hispaniola.
- In response to the heavy rainfall and potential flood risks, President Luis Abinader announced that schools in Santo Domingo would remain closed for two days to ensure the safety of students, as he stated on his Facebook account.
- The coastal regions of Hispaniola, including the Dominican Republic and its capital Santo Domingo, have been hit by emergencies due to the storm, resulting in the loss of both US-Americans and Haitians, as reported by "El Nacional".
- In light of the ongoing weather conditions and the risk of emergencies, the National Civil Protection in Hispaniola has advised residents to avoid crossing rivers and streams, especially in the south, where 14 provinces remain on high alert due to the risk of flooding.
Source: www.dpa.com
