Why were vacationers trapped in Ocoa after the Nizao River overflowed despite weather warnings?

Although the Emergency Operations Center ( COE ) and the Dominican Institute of Meteorology ( Indomet ) had issued alerts for the province of San José de Ocoa, dozens of people – including vacationers who would not return to their jobs on Monday – were trapped by the rising Nizao River.

Why did this situation occur?

According to the mayor of Rancho Arriba, Alcedo de los Santos, the problem was not caused by the presence of bathers in the river, but by the number of people trying to leave the area during the overflow.

He told the newspaper Hoy that before the flooding, the authorities had already evacuated the resorts, so there were no people in the river.

However, beyond the river, there are at least 15 communities where visitors camp and engage in ecotourism. The simultaneous return of these visitors caused heavy traffic congestion, preventing everyone from leaving on time.

“There were too many vehicles on the road and unfortunately those who couldn’t get out in time were the ones who were left behind,” he said.

He added that the area’s conditions worsened the situation. ” It caused a traffic jam; the streets are narrow and people park wherever they want ,” he explained.

The river overflowed around 8:00 p.m. on Holy Saturday, when many vacationers were returning, preventing them from crossing and leaving them stranded in isolated communities.

As a result, dozens of people remain trapped, and some have required assistance. “I hosted about 25 young people who were going to the mountains and the river. Being in that condition, they had nowhere to spend the night, and we sheltered them at the town hall,” the mayor stated.

De los Santos estimates that some of those affected will not be able to return to their homes in time to resume their work activities.

 “There are people vacationing in that area who are trapped; a large number of them won’t be able to return tomorrow. It’s still raining today, and they’re stuck on that side,” he said.

He also expressed concern about communicating with those affected. “Their families would be worried because their phones could die at any moment,” he said.