At Least Six People Killed After Rain Causes Havoc In Dominican Republic

At least six people reportedly got killed after torrential rains caused havoc in the Dominican Republic on Friday, Nov. 4.

About six people died and many went missing after several areas of the Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo saw twice the monthly average rainfall on Friday, Nov. 4. The deaths reportedly took place in the National District, and a few areas of Santo Domingo Oeste. Both urban flooding and flooding in ravines occurred in the areas affected by heavy rain, BBC reported.

Out of the six people who died, two drowned, two were electrocuted and two were crushed by collapsing walls. Teófilo Antonio Cruz Pena, 63, perished in a ravine in La Puya, Arroyo Hondo. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Yilmes Céspedes reportedly got crushed by a falling wall and was killed in Ciudad Real. Alberto Javier Pimentel, 47, was electrocuted in the National District’s Villa Francisca neighborhood. Meanwhile, in the La Zurza area, 25-year-old Edwin Alexander Cedano was killed when a wall collapsed and crushed him to death.

In addition to these, a 15-year-old boy named Robert Maldonado Rosario died after being electrocuted in the Bellas Colinas de Manoguayabo sector of Santo Domingo Oeste. Also, Roberto Quevedo Santana, 50, drowned after being dragged down a ravine in the Las 800 sector of the Los Rios neighborhood of the National District, Dominican Today reported.

After witnessing the heavy rain, meteorologists stated that even though they had been aware of heavy rains approaching, the strength of the sudden downpour have taken them by surprise.

According to Weather Bureau Director Gloria Ceballo, in some parts of Santo Domingo, 232mm (9.1in) of rain fell in a matter of hours, twice the estimate for the month. Several people still remain missing. The rain also damaged hundreds of homes and the agricultural sector. The water from the heavy rain accumulated quickly, turning streets into quick-flowing torrents.

President Luis Abinader revealed that an estimate of the total damages caused by the rain would be released on Tuesday.

The president added that poor drainage had compounded the flooding in the capital.

"It's a problem that continued to grow, the city and greater Santo Domingo area grew without a real drainage system," President Abinader said.