President Danilo Medina met at the Presidential Palace with members of the National Emergency Commission (COE) on Monday, 26 August 2019 to kick start disaster mitigation preparations. We are in the midst of the peak hurricane season for the Caribbean, and Dorian now threatens to hit the country.
The director of the National Meteorological Office (Onamet) Gloria Ceballos says that all forecast models indicate that Dorian is coming our way. The intensity of the storm is not clear, though. So far, the country will begin to be affected on Wednesday evening by a strong tropical wave, a tropical storm or a hurricane category 1. Ceballos says at worst the storm will not be stronger than a category one hurricane. She explained that most forecasts concur the storm will hit the Dominican Republic, but there are differences in how hard it will hit.
“Some models say it will continue as a hurricane. Others say when it gets near to the DR, the storm will find unfavorable conditions for development and will instead become a tropical storm,” she explained. She had said that once the storm enters Caribbean waters, a better forecast will be had. As it begins to move west through the eastern Caribbean, the storm has weakened.
Ceballos has said that regardless of the intensity, everyone should prepare for a big rainstorm, especially in the eastern and northeastern parts of the country. All those in the Dominican Republic should prepare for heavy squally rain, power outages and flooding. Ceballos warned to prepare for gusty storm-force winds, especially in the Punta Cana, La Romana and Samana areas.
In its 8am report on Tuesday, 27 August, the storm had weakened to tropical storm strength. The model shows it crossing through La Altagracia province, meaning it will affect Punta Cana. It is scheduled to hit the area late in the evening of Wednesday and early morning of Thursday, 28-29 August.
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Listin Diario
Listin Diario
27 August 2019