In the Dominican Republic, a massive rainstorm over the weekend resulted in at least 21 fatalities and displaced thousands of people, according to officials. The deadly storm caused a landslide that claimed the lives of three children and nine individuals when the wall of a highway tunnel in Santo Domingo collapsed.
The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported that heavy rain caused flooded homes, power outages, and damage to bridges and roads. President Luis Abinader declared it “the biggest rain event in the country’s history” and suspended classes in schools until Wednesday for the safety of students and teachers. Furthermore, the US embassy announced that the rain, which is caused by a tropical cyclone, will continue to hit parts of the country on Monday.
According to AFP news agency reports, among those who perished are four American citizens and three from neighboring Haiti. Most of the 32 provinces in the country are still under red and yellow weather alerts due to this disaster.