The Emergency Operations Center issued its first bulletin on tropical storm Erika on Saturday, 29 August 2015, reporting no deaths or major floods. The storm was expected to cross the country on Friday, 28 August 2015, but instead of taking a northerly turn as forecast, it continued on a westward course, leaving the country via Barahona without gaining strength.
With the exception of heavy rains in Barahona in the southwest, for the rest of the country TS Erika was more a windstorm than a rainstorm, causing millions of pesos worth of damage to a third of bananas in the plantations in the northwest of the country when its strong wind gusts swept across the region. Ramon Emilio Fondeur, in charge of the Cruz de Manzanillo banana project said that losses could surpass RD$50 million. The plantation exports over RD$160 million worth of bananas.
Across the country some trees and electricity posts fell, some roofs were affected, but most were left waiting for more of the much-needed rains.
Nevertheless, a total of 10,711 people were evacuated as a preventive measure. The COE reports that 935 houses were affected and nine communities were cut off, while thousands of homes were left without electricity nationwide.
The storm also caused some flight cancellations, mainly from the Caribbean, and some to the United States. On Friday, schools were closed nationwide and most government and private offices closed before noon to give their employees time to get home and prepare for the expected storm.
Speaking on Saturday, 29 August 2015, Alejandro Montas of the Santo Domingo Water Corporation (CAASD) announced that there had been enough rainfall to raise the levels of the Jiguey and Valdesia dams that supply water to Santo Domingo. He said the rains had replenished the Haina-Manoguayabo, Valdesia, Duey and Isa-Mana and Valdesia Dam water systems.
http://www.diariolibre.com/economia/erika-dejo-perdidas-millonarias-en-proyecto-banano-DG1080467
http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=441961
http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=441964
Barahona sufre deslizamientos de tierra y caídas de árboles por tormenta Erika