标签： Dominican Republic

SANTIAGO – The Dominican Republic’s Cibao 2026 Regional Book and Culture Fair, the annual cultural gathering running from April 19 to 26 at the Gran Teatro del Cibao, is blending literary celebration with hands-on STEM outreach this year, thanks to a new exhibit hosted by the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC). At the heart of IDAC’s display is a fully functional flight simulator, a piece of equipment rarely accessible to the general public, brought to the fair by the institute’s specialized training arm, the Higher Academy of Aeronautical Sciences (ASCA).

Unlike the simulators reserved exclusively for aspiring commercial pilots in formal training programs, this setup is designed to welcome curious attendees of all ages and backgrounds. Visitors get the rare chance to step into a virtual cockpit, test out fundamental flight controls, and experience firsthand the day-to-day responsibilities that come with being a commercial or private pilot. Normally, the simulator supports core ASCA training objectives, from walking new students through basic flight procedures to helping seasoned learners get comfortable with aircraft instrument panels and emergency protocols. Now, it serves an entirely new purpose: demystifying aviation for people who have never had a connection to the industry.

Beyond the interactive simulation experience, the ASCA team on-site is also sharing detailed information with guests about the academy’s full range of technical degree programs and professional continuing education courses. Organizers behind the initiative say their core goal is twofold: to make aeronautical knowledge more accessible to the general public during the week-long cultural event, and to ignite long-term interest in aviation careers, particularly among younger attendees and local students.

For the fair, which traditionally centers literature, art, and cultural exchange, the addition of the aviation exhibit marks a unique expansion of its programming, bringing a technical, career-focused educational opportunity into a space that draws thousands of regional visitors annually.

Residents of the Dominican Republic are bracing for several days of disrupted weather conditions, as a combination of a low-pressure trough and an incoming humid air mass set the stage for heightened rainfall beginning Thursday, according to national meteorological officials.

Speaking from the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet), lead meteorologist Cristopher Florian explained that the combined system, paired with the south and southeastward shift of the trough, will drive a sharp rise in atmospheric moisture across the island nation. This uptick in humidity will not be limited to Thursday alone, Florian noted: rainfall will remain a prominent feature through Friday, with intense downpours, thunderstorm activity, and even a measurable risk of small hail in the country’s higher-elevation mountainous regions.

The unstable pattern will extend across the entire remainder of the week, far beyond just the Thursday-Friday window, forecasters confirmed. Even on Wednesday, conditions already mirror the unsettled trend, as the existing trough maintains its position over the region and is joined by a second trough system, triggering scattered rain events across multiple districts of the country.

While meteorologists do not project extreme, record-breaking cumulative rainfall totals over the coming days, a key hazard remains: saturated soil from recent precipitation events has left many areas vulnerable to flash flooding and landslides, meaning existing national alert levels will stay in effect for the foreseeable future.

Forecasters have mapped out a timeline for rain progression on the current day: precipitation will first emerge across the country’s interior regions by early afternoon, with light to moderate showers expected to arrive around 1:00 p.m. in populous provinces including Puerto Plata, Santiago, Espaillat, and Hermanas Mirabal.

By late afternoon, around 5:00 p.m., rainfall activity is projected to intensify across western, central, and southern provinces including Santiago Rodríguez, San Cristóbal, San José de Ocoa, La Vega, and La Romana. For the capital city of Santo Domingo, cloud cover will begin building by 6:00 p.m., creating conditions that can quickly spawn intense localized downpours across the metro area.

Top Dominican Republic meteorological officials have stood by their earlier forecast for a rain-dominated week, confirming that after a 48-hour lull in precipitation, intense downpours will return to much of the country through the weekend.

Gloria Ceballos, director of the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet), made the announcement Thursday, noting that the brief reduction in rainfall between Tuesday and Wednesday was only a temporary shift within the broader established weather pattern. She explained that the ongoing combination of elevated atmospheric humidity and warm southeast winds continues to pull moisture-heavy cloud formations inland from surrounding seas, setting the stage for renewed heavy rain starting this Thursday afternoon and continuing into the evening.

Ceballos specified that this wet weather system will hold steady across the country through Friday, before tapering to lower intensity rain showers that will still persist across the weekend of Saturday and Sunday.

The heaviest precipitation will be concentrated in the country’s eastern, central and northern regions, as well as along the border zone shared with neighboring Haiti. In response to the forecast, authorities have issued two tiers of weather alerts for affected provinces. A yellow alert, indicating elevated risk of weather-related hazards, is in effect for 14 jurisdictions: Santo Domingo, the National District, San José de Ocoa, Santiago Rodríguez, San Pedro de Macorís, Santiago, Puerto Plata, Monseñor Nouel, La Altagracia, San Cristóbal, La Romana, El Seibo, Hato Mayor and La Vega. A lower-level green alert, calling for continued precaution, has been activated for 12 additional areas: María Trinidad Sánchez, Monte Plata, Duarte (with a particular focus on the Lower Yuna region), Hermanas Mirabal, Samaná, Espaillat, Sánchez Ramírez, Valverde, Montecristi, San Juan, Independencia, and Elías Piña.

Emergency management officials are urging the public to remain vigilant as the wet conditions extend into the weekend. Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the country’s Emergency Operations Center (COE), reiterated that residents should not drop their guard against potential flood and landslide risks tied to the prolonged rainfall. He specifically warned people living in high-risk zones to avoid attempting to cross swollen rivers, streams and ravines, and emphasized the importance of staying updated on changing conditions through official government bulletins and the national emergency hotlines 911 and 809-472-0909.

SANTO DOMINGO – In a targeted effort to cut down on preventable traffic collisions and build a culture of responsible two-wheeled travel, the National Action Table with Motorcyclists (Manamoto) has launched its first-ever specialized road safety training program for motorcyclists, gathering riders and local stakeholders at the Boca Chica mayor’s chapter room earlier this month.

Against a backdrop of persistently high traffic accident rates across the Dominican Republic, where motorcyclists rank as one of the most at-risk groups on public roads, the training session centered on core public safety priorities: improving rider education, embedding respect for traffic regulations, and curbing high-risk riding behaviors. The initiative is backed by the Dominican Road Mobility Foundation (Movido), an organization leading the push for collaborative, community-centered road safety reform across the nation.

Miguel Jiménez, president of Movido, opened the event by emphasizing shared accountability for improving road outcomes, pushing back against the idea that road safety is solely the responsibility of government regulators. “Rather than placing the blame on the authorities, who in some ways have their share of responsibility, there is a large share of responsibility that we as citizens have, and that is why, by working together, we will find solutions,” Jiménez said. He added that the work is rooted in social impact, not political gain: “I don’t have a political discourse, I have a social discourse, through which we will all say: I am committed.”

Three specialist speakers led targeted educational sessions covering distinct critical safety topics for attendees. Dr. Frank Reyes led a discussion on the underrecognized dangers of driving under the influence of medication, highlighting the heightened risks of unregulated self-medication and the lethal combination of prescription or over-the-counter drugs with alcohol. Popular motorcycle safety advocate Claudio en Moto focused on foundational practical riding habits, stressing the non-negotiable need for correctly fitted protective gear, proper riding posture, and consistent defensive driving techniques that help riders anticipate and avoid hazards. Juan José Mella Mota, Mobility Coordinator at Seguros SURA, rounded out the sessions by walking attendees through step-by-step protocols for responding safely and appropriately immediately after a traffic collision, a skill that can reduce secondary injuries and speed up emergency response.

Throughout the program, Manamoto’s core mission has remained consistent: to drive widespread awareness of three non-negotiable road safety rules – correct use of all required protective gear, full adherence to traffic signage and regulations, and consistently prudent, attentive riding. Multiple local and national government officials joined the event to signal institutional support for the initiative, including Boca Chica mayor Ramón Candelaria, Joel Gneco Gross, director of Transit and Road Safety at the National Institute of Traffic (Intrant), Santo Enriquez García, regional East director for the General Directorate of Road Safety and Traffic (Digesett), and Franklin Glass, president of the Dominican Chamber of Insurers and Reinsurers (Cadoar).

In an interview with Miguel Franjul, director of local media outlet Listín Diario, event organizers outlined their long-term expansion plans: the program will roll out to additional provinces across the Dominican Republic in coming months, with the ultimate goal of reaching thousands of motorcyclists and embedding a sustained culture of road safety nationwide. Local officials including Boca Chica mayor Víctor Ramírez have also publicly voiced their support for the community-focused initiative, framing it as a critical intervention to reduce preventable deaths and injuries on Dominican roads.