Days before the start of summer, strong winds and heavy rains have drenched much of the central Cibao Valley. Historically, May is the month of thunderstorms in the Cibao Valley. Farmers fear them because they knock down fruit-bearing plants such as bananas and plantains and bruise other crops such as coffee and avocados.
This past week, the Cibao saw four days of rains, causing flooding, both urban and rural, and a rare event, a hail storm, with hazelnut-sized hail falling in many areas. There were landslides along the Jamao and Luperón highways that join the Cibao Valley with the North Coast. The border town of Restauración in the Northwest also reported landslides. Houses were flooded and big trees were knocked over. And, of course, the rivers and streams in the region filled their banks.
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Listin Diario
23 May 2021