The Dominican Republic had good luck with Hurricane Hortense. It had maintained a west northwest track until turning further north on Tuesday, 10 September. Dominicans awoke on Wednesday to hear weather reports that the hurricane had brushed the east and northeast coasts, with little or no affect on the south and southwest, as had originally been anticipated.
With winds of 120 kph, Hortense merited the strength category of one – the lowest for a declared hurricane. The hurricane’s change of course was so unexpected that many people did not report for work on Tuesday as they were still making preparations.
The city of Santo Domingo practically closed down in the afternoon as damage prevention measures were taken in expectation of heavy rains such as those said to have left 30 people dead and some 1.3 million people without electricity in nearby Puerto Rico. The rains principally affected the East Coast and La Romana areas, but precipitation in Santo Domingo was minimal.
It is reported that three Dominican fishermen from the Nagua area are missing after not heeding weather reports recommending that they stay in port, and some 250 families have suffered considerable damage to their shacks and material losses in the east and northeast. Telegraph poles and some trees along the coastlines were damaged and uprooted.
Reports from the East Coast tourist areas indicate that the hotels suffered damage to their landscaping but very little damage to the buildings. Electricity in the area was at no time cut, but some telephone services were affected. The Hotel & Restaurant Association said that the safety measures recommended by the Caribbean Hotel Association were implemented.
There were no reports of damage to Puerto Plata’s hotels.
Hortense is one of the weakest hurricanes to affect the Dominican Republic. The most destructive ever to hit the country was David, whose winds of 240 kph devastated Santo Domingo and the southwestern cities in 1979. Other major hurricanes in recent years have been Emely (22 September 1987), with winds of 220 kph, which entered by way of Baní but degenerated into a tropical storm; Beulah (10-11 September 1967), which hit Barahona with winds of 225 kph and Inés (29 September 1966) which also entered via Barahona with winds of 240 kph.