Dominican Republic: At Least 21 Dead After 'Largest Rainfall Event Ever' in Country's History

In the aftermath of devastating rains that claimed at least 21 lives and displaced thousands, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader emphatically declared that climate change demands urgent attention.

"Those who do not believe in climate change, start believing," Abinader said.

While the president acknowledged the "extensive and substantial" damages, specific figures were not provided.

The Caribbean country's Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported that over 13,000 people were forced to relocate to safer areas due to the torrential rains over the previous 48 hours, Reuters reports.

The flooding resulted in power outages, damaged bridges, and impassable roads. Tragically, at least 21 lives were lost, as confirmed by the COE.

President Luis Abinader announced the suspension of classes until Wednesday, allowing time to assess the impact on schools and ensure the safety of students.

The United States embassy issued a weather alert, predicting the continuation of rains from the tropical depression across portions of the country for the next 24 hours.

Protection agencies conducted over 2,500 rescues, with approximately 2,600 homes affected by the storm, as reported by the COE.

Forty-five communities were without communication, underscoring the widespread disruption caused by the weather event.

Meanwhile, four of the casualties are American citizens, and another three are from Haiti, according to France 24.

The recent calamity follows the passage of storm Franklin at the end of August, which resulted in two fatalities, one person missing, and the evacuation of around 3,000 individuals from hazardous areas.

Torrential Rain Causes Wall To Collapse Killing 9

In a tragic incident linked to the heavy rains, a poorly designed concrete wall along a major avenue in Santo Domingo collapsed, claiming nine lives.

Civil engineer Cristian Rojas, a former president of the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects, and Surveyors, highlighted deficiencies in the wall's design, citing the absence of anchors as a critical factor in the collapse, per Jamaica Observer.

Rojas emphasized that warnings about the wall's vulnerabilities date back more than two decades, with experts cautioning about its failures and the lack of corrective measures.

The collapse occurred when floodwaters from an adjacent avenue combined with the wall's design, leading to its failure and resulting in fatalities.

Geologist Osiris de Léon recalled warnings from December 1999, as reported by El Siglo newspaper, urging the reconstruction of the wall due to cracks and the potential for a tragic accident.

The collapse occurred on the heavily transited 27 of February Avenue during the weekend, crushing cars and their occupants.

The Aftermath of Dominican Republic Torrential Rain

The aftermath of the torrential rains has left the Dominican Republic assessing the extensive damage.

President Lusi Abinader, during a press conference, acknowledged that the evaluation is ongoing but highlighted that damages, particularly in public works and agriculture, will be significant.

As of the latest update from the COE, in addition to the confirmed 24 deaths, 17,855 people are displaced, with 879 in shelters, La Prensa Latina noted.

Approximately 3,571 homes are affected, and eight roads and six bridges are damaged, including one collapse.

While electricity services have been restored to over 95% of customers, 117 out of 243 aqueducts remain inactive as a precautionary measure.

President Luis Abinader assured the public that the aqueducts would resume operations within a week as floodwaters recede.

Despite challenges, efforts are underway to restore normalcy to affected areas.

The president emphasized the unprecedented rainfall event, with certain areas experiencing 431 millimeters of rain, making it the highest 24-hour rainfall event in the country.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Tropical Rains Cause Deadly Flash Flooding, Killing At Least 20, In Dominican Republic - From Fox Weather