President Luis Abinader said the authorities are ready to deal with torrential rains and floodings if they occur. In November 2022 and 2023 floodings caused tragedies, including 40 dead.
President Abinader dedicated his Monday, La Semanal press conference on 4 November 2024 to explain the weather situation and preparations for the passing rains.
In prevention, in the past week, the President said 1,390 persons were evacuated and later returned to their homes. Nine communities were isolated by flooding waters, 13 aqueducts had to be shut down, a bridge and road were impacted in the northwestern region. Dajabón and Valverde in the Northwest were the most affected provinces.
The Social Plan of the Presidency is prepared to serve up to 40,000 food rations a day, the Civil Defense has 2,800 temporary refuges with capacity for 588,249 persons and has a volunteer staff of around 48,000.
As of Monday, 4 November 2024, the local authorities had 17 provinces and the National District on yellow alert and another 11 under green alert given the passing rain systems, an indirect consequence of the tropical storm Rafael.
The yellow alert was issued for:
Puerto Plata, María Trinidad Sánchez (Nagua and Cabrera), Espaillat, Barahona, Santiago, Hato Mayor, Santo Domingo, El Seibo, Samana, Dajabon, San Juan de la Maguana, Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris), San Pedro de Macoris, Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), La Altagracia (Higuey and Punta Cana), Pedernales, Valverde and the National District.
The green alert was issued for:
Independencia, Elías Piña, La Vega, San Cristóbal, La Romana, Santiago Rodríguez, Montecristi, Azua, Bahoruco, San José de Ocoa and Peravia (Baní).
The main recommendation is that people under no circumstances should attempt to cross rivers, streams or gullies that are receiving more than the usual water volumes.
The government has been closely watching to prevent serious damage from the major weather systems currently over the Caribbean region. Meetings have been held with the ministries of Public Works and Communications, Public Health, and Defense at the headquarters of the Center for Emergency Operations (COE). As reported, the instruction is to prepare for the worst.
There have already videos of major urban flooding and tornados in Puerto Plata last week. There were strong indications that from La Altagracia province in the east to Montecristi province in the Northwest, there would be heavy rains throughout the weekend and into Monday, 4 November 2024, a public holiday.
The rains played havoc with the winter league baseball games as the Dominican Baseball League (Lidom) was forced to cancel one set of games late last week, and other games were either rain-delayed or played in a light drizzle.
While there are no tropical storms in the area, forecasters are predicting at least two and possible three more named storms this month.
Meanwhile, the Civil Defense, the army of volunteers, has activated all protocols for heavy rains and flooding. COE is warning that the consistent rains have saturated the soils making conditions adequate for floods.
The current disturbance is expected to develop into a tropical storm and shortly after, into a hurricane. So far, it is likely it will pass near Jamaica, which is already under tropical storm warning. The weather phenomenon, nevertheless, is expected to bring more rains.
Weather in Punta Cana and La Romana over the long weekend was sunny with scattered showers, with the ABBA concert happening at the Altos de Chavon amphitheater. Weather in Santo Domingo was more of the same, with scattered strong showers.
But the memory of the heavy flooding on 4 November 2024 is fresh on the minds of people who live in the capital city, and more so after all the reports of the weather tragedy in Valencia, Spain.
MikeFisher of DR1 Weather reports that the good news for DR is that it has been spared storm danger. “Nothing of a storm is heading near us nor is expected to form enroute to us,” reports Mike Fisher of DR1 Weather. “Considering that we got nothing of those 18 storms of the season on our soil I would say this wet finish of the 2024 Hurricane Season is acceptable as our share, for not being hit by any sh.it all summer long.” He forecasts TD18 that is moving N towards Jamaica and is expected to head to western Cuba and the Gulf of Mexico will deliver much rain to the southern coast of the Dominican Republic.
Follow the story:
La Semanal 4 November 2024
Listin Diario
Coe
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
El Caribe
El Dia
El Dia
El Dia
El Caribe
El Caribe
El Caribe
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
Noticias SIN
El Caribe
Miami Herald
DR1 Weather
5 November 2024