SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) – The Dominican Republic faced significant disruption on Wednesday due to heavy rains that resulted in widespread power outages and the suspension of classes in various public and private schools across the nation. The adverse weather conditions prompted officials to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of citizens, leading the government to order nonessential employees to work remotely.

The heavy downpour, which commenced on Monday, was associated with flooding and heightened risks of landslides. Authorities issued alerts for more than a dozen provinces, including the capital, Santo Domingo. Residents were cautioned about the impending dangers that the continued rainfall posed to their communities and infrastructure.

According to local reports from Listín Diario, over 20 communities in the province of San José de Ocoa, situated northwest of Santo Domingo, were cut off due to an overflowing river. This exacerbated the situation, isolating residents and complicating rescue operations. The Civil Defense agency reported that crews were actively engaged in evacuating vulnerable populations, including nearly a dozen elderly individuals who were relocated to safer environments. Additionally, rescue operations were carried out to assist a man who became trapped in a sewer in the capital, highlighting the immediate dangers posed by the severe weather conditions. These swift actions were part of a broader effort to mitigate the impacts of the heavy rains, which were expected to begin tapering off by Wednesday night.

The sudden onset of heavy rains has underscored the vulnerability of certain areas in the Dominican Republic to extreme weather events, leading to heightened concerns among government officials and disaster response teams. With the capital and surrounding provinces under alert, the situation remains fluid as authorities continue to monitor conditions closely.