Torrential rains kill at least 21 in Dominican Republic

After at least 21 people were killed and thousands more were displaced by heavy rains, the president of the Dominican Republic has insisted that climate change must be taken seriously.

The Caribbean nation’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) announced on Sunday that torrential rains over the previous 48 hours had flooded homes, resulted in power outages, and damaged bridges and roads, forcing more than 13, 000 people to relocate to safer areas. The COE added that at least 21 people have perished.

According to the national police, nine people perished in the storm on Saturday after rains in Santa Domingo’s capital caused a highway tunnel wall to collapse onto their cars.

The concrete wall’s foundation gave way when the water “infiltrated a saturated subsoil,” according to the Ministry of Public Works the following day.

The majority of the 32 provinces in the country are still under an alert designation, and an investigation into the incident has been ordered.

Social media videos depicted flooded buildings and rushing water dragging cars down streets.

“The biggest downpour ever!”

It is the “largest rainfall event ever” in the history of the Dominican Republic, according to President Luis Abinader.

Abinader, who discussed “extensive and substantial” damages, said, “Those who do not believe in climate change, start believing.”

Abinader stated that classes will be suspended until Wednesday “in order to assess the schools that may have been impacted” and “guarantee the safety of our young people.”

According to a weather alert from the US embassy, tropical depression-related rains are anticipated to persist for the next 24 hours in some areas of the nation.

Protection organizations had to save more than 2,500 people, and the storm had damaged about 2,600 homes, according to the COE.

According to the COE report, 45 communities and nbsp were not in contact as of Sunday afternoon.