Walking the streets of Santo Domingo has become a perilous undertaking for residents, who must navigate not only traffic but also the ever-present threat of falling into treacherous sinkholes caused by stolen manhole covers.
The theft of these vital infrastructure components has reached alarming levels, creating a serious public safety hazard, reports Diario Libre. Criminals steal the covers to sell the metal, leaving gaping holes in the street that expose pedestrians and drivers alike to potentially devastating accidents.
Some communities have resorted to makeshift solutions, filling holes with tires, rocks, or old car parts. However, these temporary fixes fail to address the root problem. Sinkholes plague neighborhoods across the economic spectrum, endangering everyone.
The daily experience of Santo Domingo’s pedestrians is a constant dodging of these hazards. “Anyone could die,” says Daniel de los Santos, expressing the frustration felt by many. He understands the motive behind the thefts: “They sell them for scrap metal. You put them up today, they’re gone tomorrow,” as reported in Diario Libre.
De los Santos proposes a simple solution: “They need to make the covers out of concrete so they can’t be stolen.”
The street water drainage covers made the news after a 13-year old girl recently miraculously survived eight hours trapped in a manhole in San Cristóbal.
The Santo Domingo City Hall acknowledges the crisis and is taking action. As reported in Diario Libre, the city government is installing manhole covers and grates made of fiberglass resin in an effort to deter theft.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
DR1 News
21 May 2025