Dominican Republic Declares Alerts as Hurricane Melissa Causes Severe Weather
Beginning October 21, 2025, the Dominican Republic faced significant weather challenges as Hurricane Melissa brought heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides, primarily affecting southern and central provinces. The country’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) issued yellow and green alerts for 22 provinces and the National District, subsequently upgrading them to red alerts for Barahona, Pedernales, Independencia, and Bahoruco. Yellow alerts also extended to regions including San José de Ocoa, Elías Pina, Dajabón, Azua, San Cristóbal, Peravia, Monte Plata, San Juan, and Monte Cristi.
The intense rainfall resulted in severe flooding and landslides that disrupted essential services across the affected areas. Reports indicate that dozens of aqueducts ceased operations, leading to significant challenges in water supply. Additionally, several health facilities faced power outages, further complicating the response efforts.
Preliminary estimates suggest that approximately 1.8 million people have been affected by the storm’s impacts. The lack of access to safe drinking water, compounded by power outages, raises concerns about potential outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Furthermore, ongoing soil saturation issues coupled with forecasts of additional rainfall elevate the risks of further flooding and landslides in the coming days.
Officials continue to monitor the situation closely as they prepare for possible further developments and the need for additional safety measures in response to the storm’s ongoing effects.
