Floods in the Dominican Republic
© Defensa Civil R.D.Floods in the Dominican Republic
Severe weather has been affecting the island of Hispaniola over the last days, causing floods and major damage both in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Over 4,000 people have been displaced and several communities left isolated.

Intense Rain

Heavy rainfall hit the region during the last few days of April 2016. According to Dominican Republic National Meteorological Office (Oficina Nacional de Meteorológia, ONAMET) a significant amount of rain was observed from the 27 April 2016 onwards. The station of Sabana de Mar, in the north-west Province of Hato Mayor, recorded 257.7 mm in 24 hours on the 28 April 2016. Prolonged and intense rain was recorded in Hispaniola during the following days.


Haiti

The heavy storm affecting the country of Haiti caused several rivers in the Ouest and Centre Departments to overflow in Haiti. Roads of Pétionville, a Port-au-Prince suburb, suffered some damage. One man was reportedly swept away by the flood water, while a woman is reported to be missing as she was trying to cross a flooding river.

A boat carrying people from Bombardopolis to Gonaives is reported to have sunk during the night of 30 April 2016, due to the bad weather conditions, resulting in the deaths of 8 people.


After dodging natural disaster for 4 years, #Haiti is once again battling it. Petionville this weekend. pic.twitter.com/SolHRwIcK7

— Jacqueline Charles (@Jacquiecharles) May 2, 2016
Dominican Republic

The torrential rains in the region also caused rivers to overflow in the Dominican Republic. Flooding in several urban and agricultural areas has been reported in several provinces of the country, in particular in Villa Gonzáles (Santiago Province), Salcedo (Hermanas Mirabal Province) and also in Santiago de los Caballeros, the country's second city.

At least 11 Provinces (La Vega, Monseñor Nouel, Monte Plata, Hato Mayor, La Romana, La Altagracia, El Seibo, San Cristóbal, San Pedro de Macorís, Sánchez Ramírez y San Juan) remain at level yellow of warning (second alert level of three) for possible further inundations and landslides, according to the Emergency Operational Centre (Centro de Operaciones de Emergencias COE).

Severe flooding was also reported when the Jobo River overflowed in Joba community, part of Gaspar Hernández municipality in the north Province of Espaillat. The water has flooded many roads causing substantial damage to houses and properties.

As an effect of the inundations, the COE indicates that as many as 4,345 persons have been forced to leave their homes. More than 860 houses have been affected and 4 of them have been destroyed.

Local Civil Defence authorities report that 13 communities are isolated as a result of major problems with local transport links, including 5 bridges which have been damaged.

The country suffered flooding after heavy rainfall in February this year. Over 200 mm of rain fell in 24 hours in parts of the northern coast.