Authorities on Monday declared a “three-day period of national mourning” to commemorate the victims of the torrential rains that hit the Dominican Republic in recent days, leaving at least 24 dead, according to a new report.
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“Three (3) days of official mourning are declared throughout the territory of the Dominican Republic (…) on the occasion of the deaths resulting from the recent atmospheric phenomenon in the country,” a presidential decree announced on Monday.
According to the Emergency Operations Center (COE), around 17,000 people have been evacuated from risk areas and 31 of the Caribbean country’s 32 provinces are still on alert.
According to a new report from the WCC, the number of deaths rises to 24, compared to 21 on Sunday evening, including four American nationals and four Haitians, and could rise further.
Nine people died on Saturday evening when a large wall collapsed onto vehicles on one of the capital Santo Domingo’s main arteries.
AFP
Schools will remain closed until Wednesday to assess the extent of the damage to schools and “ensure the safety” of students.
President Luis Abinader attributed the heavy rains to climate change.
“Those who don’t believe in climate change need to start believing in it,” Mr. Abinader said on Sunday, reporting “widespread and significant” damage without giving figures. The rains led to power and drinking water outages in some areas.
In late August, Storm Franklin left two people dead and one missing in the Dominican Republic, and about 3,000 people were evacuated.