Caribbean – 4 Dead After Floods and Landslides Hit Jamaica, Haiti and Dominican Republic

Rain, flooding and landslides in parts of the Caribbean have caused at least 4 fatalities and displaced around 4,000 people.

Heavy rain has affected Jamaica, Haiti and Dominican Republic since around 02 May, 2018. Villa Altagracia in San Cristóbal province, Dominican Republic, recorded 121.4 mm of rain in 24 hours to 04 May. In Kingston, Jamaica, 184.6 mm of rain fell in 24 hours to 07 May.

At least 5 people died after heavy rain and flooding in these countries during May last year.

Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported that floods have damaged 773 homes and displaced 3,865 displaced people, with 40 of them in staying in official shelters. Roads and two bridges have been damaged and COE said that, as of 07 May, 16 communities remained isolated.

San Cristóbal province was the worst affected area, where one person reportedly died in flooding. The Government, through Comedores Económicos, has supplied food to families in affected areas. Areas of Santo Domingo and Barahona provinces were also badly affected.

As of 07 May, 18 provinces remained under alert, including yellow alerts for greater Santo Domingo, Barahona, San José de Ocoa and San Cristóbal.

Haiti

In Haiti, Civil Protection officials said that at least three people have died, one is missing and another injured after flooding which affected several departments including Artibonite, Grand-Anse, Nippes, Ouest, Nord, Nord-Est, Sud and Sud-Est.

At least 15 houses were destroyed or significantly damaged by rain and landslides in Sud, Sud-Est and Ouest departments.

This is the second flood event in the country in the last 2 weeks. On 25 April 2018, Haiti Civil Protection reported heavy rain and landslides in Canape Vert, Port-au-Prince, causing one fatality.

Jamaica

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in Jamaica has reported that seven people have been displaced by flooding and are currently accommodated in shelters in Little London and Mylersfield in Westmoreland.

ODPEM said on 07 May that all parishes in the country have experienced rainfall, with the most significant falling between 05 May to 07 May.

Severe flooding was reported in Aenon Town, along with some road and surface flooding in Westmoreland and St Elizabeths and fields and farm land flooded in Bog Hole, Clarendon. A landslide was reported in Silent Hill. No injuries or fatalities have been reported.

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