Dominican Republic downpours end drought, unleash floods

Santo Domingo.- Nearly 3,500 people have been evacuated as downpoursin recent days have unleashed flooding across the Dominican Republic, reliefagencies reported Sunday.

"The population mustn’t be careless," said EmergencyOperations Center (COE) director Juan Manuel Mendez in a press conference.

He warned of more flooding and landslides from the variousweather systems which have led to heavy rains over the past 12 days.

He said the rains have displaced around 3,430 people fromtheir homes, damaged some 675, destroyed 11 others, and 55 people spent thenight in two shelters.

The official said 31 communities have been cut off after tworoads were washed out.

The COE maintains flash flooding alerts for most of thecountry.

Drought relief

The latest downpours come in the heels of a months-long droughtwhich had led to failed crops including plantains, the green banana that has displacedrice as the most consumed staple.