Torrential Rains in the Dominican Republic.Image Credit- Plan Social Republica Dominicana.
Dominican Republic Torrential Rains

Torrential Rains in the Dominican Republic

Soledad Quartucci

Torrential Rains in the Dominican Republic

On Monday, the Dominican Republic experienced the first of the three days of national mourning for the at least 24 deaths caused by the torrential rains this weekend.

 

Image Credit- Plan Social Republica Dominicana.

 

These are considered the heaviest precipitations ever recorded in the country. In addition to the officially confirmed and already identified 24 fatalities, there are 17,855 evacuated individuals, 3,571 affected homes, 45 isolated communities, and damage to eight roads and six bridges, one of which collapsed according to the latest bulletin from the Emergency Operations Center.

 

 

Also, 117 out of 243 water supply systems are currently inactive as a preventive measure to protect the system. However, they will be operational within a week as floodwaters subside. Given the situation, various agencies are intensifying efforts to restore normalcy in the country and prevent diseases.

 

 

 

In the Dominican Republic, different measures have been taken, such as the suspension of classes in some schools until Wednesday to assess the condition of the buildings. At the same time, health facilities are being inspected, and traffic control measures are being implemented in Santo Domingo.

The Dominican Republic remains on high alert due to the intense rains over the weekend. Rosa Encarnación provided Telemundo with an update:

“The rains have been catastrophic, with around 16 inches in 24 hours, breaking historical accumulation records in the country. After the furious and devastating rains, the Dominican Republic mourns its dead. The list of fatalities continues to rise, surpassing twenty. A prosecutor from Puerto Rico, his pregnant wife, and his parents are among the nine victims who were crushed after a wall collapsed in a tunnel.”

 

 

 

Encarnación stated that thirteen thousand people were evacuated, and in addition to affecting homes, floods inundated streets. Vehicles were floating, and waters swept away entire agricultural crops. Several rivers overflowed, five bridges collapsed, and 45 communities became isolated. In some areas, small canoes are being used to deliver aid.

 

 

In honor of the victims, three days of national mourning have been declared, during which the flag will fly at half-mast. Classes have also been suspended until Wednesday, and authorities are suggesting remote learning until Friday.

 

 

The president, Luis Abinader, clarifies that the collapse in the tunnel at Avenida 27 de Febrero with Máximo Gómez was not due to lack of maintenance but a design and construction failure, as reported by Listin Diario.

In response to this situation, he announced the creation of a commission for the supervision of national infrastructures in the face of climate change.

The commission, chaired by geologist Osiris De León, aims to transparently evaluate all infrastructures and their risks within a period of 6 months.

“I want this commission to bring reassurance and peace to the Dominican population,” concluded the president. This information is corroborated by the Minister of Public Works, Deligne Ascensión, and geologist Osiris De León.

Ascensión emphasized that routine maintenance is performed on these infrastructures, and their closure for maintenance purposes is announced every 10 days. He also highlighted that even in the areas where the drainage failed, they were still functioning.

Meanwhile, De León added, “The problem started in 1999. We all agree, those who participated in the commission in 1999 and now, that the design had inherent flaws.” This is because the hydrostatic pressure that could occur during heavy rain was not taken into account.

“It has nothing to do with maintenance; proof of this is that the first failure occurred seven months after the overpass was inaugurated when it was still new,” De León concluded. In this regard, the president stated that if the issue had been discussed more, action could have been taken in time, but “it was 23 years without action, and I bear three of those 23.”

Fund for Climate Change

The Head of State also informed about the proposal to create a special fund for the prevention, mitigation, and adaptation to climate change. Both the Dominican Republic and international funds would contribute financial resources for these purposes. This comes after mentioning that climate change and these unprecedented events are costing the Dominican Republic dearly.

He recalled that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) indicates that our countries will be impacted with investments of 2% of GDP to address this issue.

In the case of the Dominican Republic, this would amount to around 124 billion pesos. “The country must be aware that climate change is a reality with unforeseen, intense, and out-of-season phenomena.”

 

 

Rain Accumulation

The consequences of these atmospheric phenomena were also evident this weekend in the Dominican territory. In the National District alone, rainfall accumulations from November 16 to 18, associated with the tropical disturbance and trough, reached up to 450 millimeters in just 24 hours.

Adding the accumulated rainfall from Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th, Arroyo Hondo recorded 459.2 mm, followed by Manganagua with 444.3 mm and Urbanización Real with 363.8 mm.

In Jardines del Norte, 354.3 mm were recorded, Mirador Norte with 353.4, Urbanización Fernández with 349.5.

Las Malvinas, in Santo Domingo Norte, had 320.9 mm, Jardines del Sur with 284.5, Bella Vista with 261.3, San Gerónimo with 257.6, and Mirador Sur with 254.1.

Restoring Basic Services

In just 48 hours after the events, electricity distribution companies restored service almost entirely to affected users, according to President Abinader. Edesur reached 99.8%, Edenorte 99.4%, and Edeeste 96.07%.

Regarding the water system, 117 out of 253 aqueducts are out of service as a preventive measure and will be operational within a week as floodwaters recede. On this aspect, the Head of State added that the current administration has cleaned more water channels in the metropolitan areas of Santo Domingo and Santiago. In Santo Domingo alone, 42 km of channels have been worked on.

 

Soledad Quartucci | CEO/Founder, Latina Republic

Latina Republic is dedicated to promoting regional understanding through compelling narratives, articles, interviews, and reports that emanate from the heart of the Americas. Our foremost goal is to facilitate constructive dialogue by illuminating local viewpoints frequently overshadowed by mainstream media. Our mission is to equip all stakeholders with essential insights for addressing regional issues, thus empowering them in their efforts. We are committed to portraying the victories and hardships of everyday life in Latin America, while also chronicling the progression of social movements and amplifying the voices of those at the forefront of change.

 

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