24 dead due to torrential rain storm

Dominican Republic experienced a real tragedy after a strong storm with torrential rains that left, as of this Monday, 24 people dead. After this, his government decided to declare “national mourning” in honor of the victims.

“Three days of official mourning are declared throughout the territory of the Dominican Republic on the occasion of the fatalities resulting from the passage of the recent atmospheric phenomenon through the country,” says a decree from the government of President Luis Abinader.

The Emergency Operations Center (COE) raised the number of fatalities to 24 and warned that the figure may increase because “there are bodies that have not been identified,” the news agency reported. AFP.

“We must wait for the Inacif (Institute of Forensic Sciences) to provide this information, identify the bodies and cause of death,” said the director of the COE, General Juan Manuel Méndez to the press.

Three of the deceased identified so far are minors, four are American nationals and another four are Haitians, according to the list released by the COE.

The collapse of a wall on several vehicles traveling along an important avenue in Santo Domingo left nine dead.

A statement from the Ministry of Public Works said that the water “infiltrated a saturated subsoil” and the bases of the concrete wall gave way.

The rest of the deaths occurred in different incidents that occurred as a result of the rains. Meanwhile, around 17,000 people were moved to safe areas.

The COE also warned about the possibility of more flooding, due to the saturation of the soil.

Abinader’s government keeps 31 of the 32 provinces of the Caribbean country on alert, only one on red alert, 28 on yellow alert and two on green alert.

In a press conference, Abinader pointed out on Sunday that the rains observed since Saturday represent the “event of greatest rainfall ever occurred in the Dominican Republic.”

The president, who considered the situation as a reflection of the imbalances caused by climate change, plans to visit several areas affected by heavy rains this Monday.

With information from Telam Agency