Dominican Republic – Record Rain Causes Flash Floods in North

Record rainfall in northern parts of the Dominican Republic have caused flash flooding in Puerto Plata province.

Local media report that over 500 homes and businesses have been damaged. Comedores Económicos del Estado (CEED), the social service agency in the Dominican Republic, has distributed almost 6,000 meals as well as food supply packages to the affected populations, including the areas of Montellano, Sosúa, Playa Oeste, Aguas Negras and Rescate Ambar.

The severe weather struck during the evening of 15 March when it rained non-stop for around 7 hours. Further rain during the following days caused the San Marcos river and other smaller streams to overflow, flooding the neighborhoods (barrios) of Invi, Barrio Haiti, Los Domíngues and Las Mercedez.

The rainfall between 15 and 16 March was highly localised in nature. While Aeropuerto Puerto Plata recorded 272.8mm of rainfall in 24 hours, other nearby areas saw, Lueron 30 km to the north west saw just 26 mm.

The total of 272.8 mm is a record amount for a March day in Puerto Plata, beating the previous high of 154.1mm from 24 March 2017.

The next day wider areas of northern Dominican Republic saw rain of around 10 mm to 30 mm in 24 hours.

Rainfall in northern Dominican Republic, 15 to 16 March, 2018. Image: ONAMET

Rainfall in northern Dominican Republic, 16 to 17 March, 2018. Image: ONAMET

Previous Floods

The torrential rain in March last year also caused devastating floods in Puerto Plata province, destroying 8 homes, damaging hundreds more and forcing almost 2,000 to evacuate.

Thousands more homes in the country were damaged the following month after further heavy rainfall.

Social Media

Distribución de las lluvias el día de ayer. Mayores acumulados:
Aeropuerto Puerto Plata=272.8mm
Cabrera= 39.1mm
Luperon(Puerto Plata)=26.0mm
Villa Riva= 17.8mm pic.twitter.com/Oq9RvnY3V3

— Gloria Ceballos (@GloriaCeballos7) March 16, 2018

Vía @chilote88: Inundaciones urbanas en Puerto Plata debido a las intensas lluvias en las últimas horas. pic.twitter.com/wIvhMn3acD

— José Urtecho (@capiurtecho) March 16, 2018

https://twitter.com/JeanSuriel/status/974632448184279040

https://twitter.com/JeanSuriel/status/975396210965188608

Puerto Plata es nuestro foco de trabajo en estos momentos, debido a las lluvias y las consecuentes inundaciones. Hasta este momento, @ComedoresE_RD ha distribuido 5,855 raciones. pic.twitter.com/SLRckKRlDi

— Nicolás Calderón (@Nicolasalcc) March 18, 2018

https://twitter.com/JeanSuriel/status/975195237369991168

Buenos días, estamos junto al Gobernador Provincial Ivan Rivera y el Gral. Gonell Regalado @CoMiPolRD llevando brigadas y equipos pesados a las zonas más afectadas en Puerto Plata. pic.twitter.com/TlBVXlRMB8

— Douglas Borrell (@DouglasBorrell) March 18, 2018