A road in San Jose de Ocoa, Dominican Republic, is flooded due to heavy rainfall. (Image source BBC News)
Torrential rain storm killed at least 21 people in Dominican Republic.
At least 21 individuals have lost their lives in the Dominican Republic due to intense rainfall over the weekend, resulting in the displacement of thousands of residents, according to officials.
An inquiry has been initiated following the collapse of a highway tunnel wall in the capital, Santo Domingo, where nine people lost their lives during torrential rain.
In response to heavy downpours, more than 13,000 people were evacuated to secure areas. The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported flooded homes, power outages, and damage to bridges and roads.
Among the casualties, three children tragically lost their lives.
President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic described the event as the “largest rainfall occurrence ever” in the country’s history, following persistent storms over the past 48 hours.
The Caribbean nation has been severely impacted by torrential rainfall, with social media footage depicting torrents of water inundating streets and sweeping away vehicles.
More than 2,500 individuals have been rescued, and over 2,600 homes have been affected by the storm, as reported by the COE.
The COE further noted that 45 communities were without communication as of Sunday afternoon.
The continuous rainfall, stemming from a tropical depression, is anticipated to persist across various parts of the country into Monday, according to the US embassy.
A majority of the nation’s 32 provinces remain under red and yellow weather alerts, indicating the ongoing severity of the situation.
President Abinader announced the suspension of classes until Wednesday, stating the need to “evaluate the schools that may have been affected” and “guarantee the safety of our young people.”
On X (formerly Twitter), President Abinader expressed being “deeply shocked by the loss of life due to the heavy rains” and extended “unconditional support to all those affected by this emergency.”
According to AFP news agency, four of the casualties were US nationals, and three were from neighboring Haiti.