Tropical Storm Melissa leaves over a million without water in the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported that Tropical Storm Melissa has left widespread damage across the Dominican Republic, affecting 183 homes, displacing 915 people, and forcing 61 into shelters. The storm also isolated 19 communities, damaged infrastructure, and left more than 1.1 million residents without access to drinking water.

According to the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewerage (INAPA), 56 aqueducts were impacted by the rains — 53 out of service and three partially operational — affecting more than 610,000 users. The CAASD also suspended the Isa Mana and Duey systems due to water turbidity, cutting supply to another 405,000 residents in Santo Domingo Oeste, Pedro Brand, Los Alcarrizos, and parts of the National District.

The Ministry of Public Works (MOPC) deployed emergency crews to clear debris, remove fallen trees, and reopen blocked roads. Landslides affected sections of the Cabrera–Loma Alta highway in María Trinidad Sánchez and the El Manaclar road in Peravia, while cleanup operations continued in Barahona, Pedernales, San Juan, Monte Plata, and Duarte.

In Greater Santo Domingo, flooding and landslides damaged multiple homes after the Bonavides Creek overflowed. Neighborhoods such as Arroyo Hondo, Villas Agrícolas, Capotillo, and Herrera experienced evacuations and structural damage. Similar conditions were reported in San Cristóbal, Barahona, and San José de Ocoa, where rising rivers cut off access to several communities.