After a week of light rains, a very powerful tropical wave hit the Dominican Republic over the weekend and sent torrential rains to the already swollen rivers and streams. In the cities there was major flooding in streets, keeping most people at home.
According to the National Emergency Commission (CNE) Bulletin No. 3, nine people died as a result of the flooding and thousands had to abandon their homes or were forcefully evacuated by Civil Defense workers. As reported in El Caribe, six people died in Jimani, along the Haitian border, as a result of the overflooded Silie River. These reports closely parallel those of last November when similar, long-lasting rains caused major damage to highways and farming areas.
The city of La Vega lost its electricity when transmission towers failed. The river Yuna claimed two victims in the area of San Francisco de Macoris and a third victim was drowned in the Gran Estero in Los Yayales in Nagua.
Hoy newspaper reports that at least two more are missing and presumed to be lost in the Yuna River.
The CNE office has issued warnings for vigilance and caution to all those residing in low-laying areas, or areas susceptible to landslides. Small watercraft warnings were also issued. CNE bulletin No. 2 had reported that several hundred houses were flooded in the province of Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris), and more than a dozen houses were reported flooded in Monsignor Nouel (Bonao). Dozens of rural communities were isolated by the flood waters in the Nagua region. The CNE also reported that the aqueduct leading from the Haina River was shut down due to the floodwaters.
According to the National Weather Office (ONM), today and tomorrow will continue to be fairly wet. An extensive mass of clouds is currently covering much of the Caribbean, causing rains expected to last until Tuesday morning and primarily affecting the northeast, east and southwest of the country.
While the wave that dumped so much water on the countryside over the weekend heads to Haiti, another wave can be seen just East of Puerto Rico and is ostensibly heading towards the Dominican Republic.