The Dominican government has declared a suspension of work activities this Friday in multiple provinces placed under red alert due to the ongoing impact of Hurricane Melissa. The storm has brought relentless heavy rainfall, prompting authorities to urge heightened vigilance. Juan Manuel Méndez, Director of the Emergency Operations Center, stressed the need for minute-by-minute monitoring, highlighting the heightened risks of flooding and landslides caused by already saturated soil. Provinces under red alert include La Romana, Barahona, San Cristóbal, Santo Domingo, the National District, San José de Ocoa, San Juan, Azua, Peravia, Pedernales, San Pedro de Macorís, and Monte Plata. Meanwhile, La Altagracia, home to the popular tourist destination Punta Cana, is under yellow alert, along with La Vega, Hato Mayor, El Seibo, Samaná, Monseñor Nouel, Sánchez Ramírez, Elías Piña, Independencia, and Bahoruco. The government continues to emphasize the importance of public safety as the storm persists.
Melissa saturates Dominican soils, forcing alerts in popular tourist regions
