A false rumor about a tidal wave circulated since early morning of 1 October, making several people abandon their homes at 4 am seeking shelter in higher areas of the city, such as in the Mirador del Sur Park. The rumor said that a tidal wave would affect the south coast of the Dominican Republic, especially neighborhoods near the sea. A man in San Pedro de Macorís was arrested for being the first to spread the rumor. The rumor said the tidal wave had affected San Pedro.
