The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo has announced the resumption of both routine and emergency consular services, effective this Monday. This decision comes after the Emergency Operations Center (COE) downgraded the alert level in Santo Domingo province from red to yellow. In a statement shared on the embassy’s official Instagram account, officials confirmed that the Visa Assistance Center at Sambil will also reopen and resume normal operations. The embassy attributed this move to the improved weather conditions and the diligent monitoring of Hurricane Melissa by local authorities. However, the embassy issued a warning, emphasizing that Hurricane Melissa remains a potent and unpredictable storm. It could still bring heavy rainfall and localized damage to certain areas of the Dominican Republic in the days ahead. Residents and visitors are advised to remain vigilant and stay updated on weather developments.
标签： Dominican Republic
多米尼加共和国
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Dominican Republic returns to normal as Abinader lifts Hurricane Melissa restrictions
Santo Domingo – President Luis Abinader has announced the lifting of preventive measures across most of the Dominican Republic following the departure of Hurricane Melissa, signaling a gradual return to normalcy. However, four provinces—Barahona, Pedernales, Bahoruco, and Independencia—remain under red alert due to lingering risks from the hurricane’s indirect effects.
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Cruise tourism: Puerto Plata surpasses 1.9 million visitors through September
Puerto Plata’s Amber Cove and Taíno Bay maritime terminals have achieved a significant milestone, welcoming 1.9 million cruise passengers by September 2025. This accomplishment solidifies the province’s status as the Dominican Caribbean’s leading cruise destination. Despite a minor slowdown in growth during the latter part of the year, the terminals have demonstrated robust performance in attracting maritime tourists. In 2024, the terminals collectively hosted 2.6 million passengers, with projections for 2025 estimating between 2.6 and 2.7 million arrivals, maintaining the record-breaking figures of the previous year. A sector insider noted that the passenger numbers will remain close to past records, with only a marginal 4% difference, as growth has plateaued in recent months. Operated by Carnival Corporation and the ITM group, respectively, Amber Cove and Taíno Bay have become pivotal in revitalizing the northern region’s tourism economy, creating numerous jobs and generating substantial revenue. Puerto Plata, affectionately dubbed ‘The Bride of the Atlantic,’ continues to enhance its allure as a top Caribbean cruise destination, offering pristine beaches, captivating excursions, state-of-the-art port facilities, and the renowned hospitality of its people.
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Ocoa coffee farmers face “disastrous” losses due to rain
The Orlando Mazara Coffee Growers Association (Asocaom) has declared the situation in the coffee-growing region of Quita Sueño, spanning seven areas in the Rancho Arriba municipality of San José de Ocoa, to be catastrophic in the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s torrential rains. Daisy Encarnación Casado, the association’s coordinator, and Aris Peguero, project manager, revealed that the damage is extensive, with hundreds of quintals of coffee lost due to the severe weather. Producers are struggling to dry their grains due to the absence of drying tunnels and the destruction of local roads, leaving many farmers stranded on their properties. Additionally, the overflowing Nizao River near Montenegro has cut off access to several communities, isolating over 200 families. These families are now without medical services and face millions in losses from ruined coffee and other crops. In response, coffee growers have urgently appealed to President Luis Abinader to implement immediate measures to support the agricultural sector. They emphasized the critical importance of coffee production for reforestation, economic sustainability, and the livelihoods of local farmers. The association also called for the repair of local roads and the swift construction of a bridge over the Nizao River at the Montenegro Crossing to restore access and aid recovery efforts.
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Aerodom responds to the effects of Storm Melissa: “So far, no flights have been canceled”
As Hurricane Melissa advances toward the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic’s airports, managed by Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom), continue to operate without disruptions. Luis José López, Aerodom’s Communications Director, confirmed to arecoa.com on Sunday, October 26, that all scheduled flights are running as planned, with no cancellations reported. López emphasized that operations remain normal and that the concessionaire is prepared to communicate any changes to passengers through multiple channels if necessary. Aerodom has activated its Emergency Plan, with airport teams implementing preventive measures to ensure safety and operational continuity. Meanwhile, Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 113–136 knots (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h), continues its slow but steady path past the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned of intense downpours, thunderstorms, flooding, and mudslides. Experts note that the storm’s structure is reorganizing, with decreased upper-level winds potentially allowing it to strengthen further. Melissa is expected to reach Category 5 status before making landfall in Jamaica early next week.
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Melissa: Nearly 100 people evacuated from Saona Island
In a swift and coordinated response to the impending threat of Tropical Storm Melissa, the Dominican Republic Navy (ARD), under the Ministry of Defense (MIDE), successfully evacuated 98 individuals from Saona Island this Saturday. The operation was executed as a preventive measure against the storm’s adverse effects, which have already brought heavy rainfall and high waves to the eastern and southern coasts of the country. The evacuation was part of a broader emergency response strategy led by the Ministry of Emergency Management (MIDE), which mobilized all available resources of the Armed Forces to support the Emergency Operations Center (COE) and civil authorities in ensuring public safety. Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, the Minister of Defense, directed the Navy to activate its emergency protocols, deploying surface naval units and specialized rescue teams. Vice Admiral Juan Bienvenido Crisóstomo Martínez, Commander General of the Navy, emphasized the critical role of interoperability among Naval Commands, the Eastern Naval Zone, the Captaincy of the Ports, and the Dominican Maritime Authority in the operation’s success. ‘This swift action reflects the preparation, discipline, and commitment of our men and women of the sea, who respond with determination whenever the nation needs them,’ stated Vice Admiral Crisóstomo Martínez. The evacuees were safely transported to the Port of Bayahibe, where they received immediate assistance from relief agencies. The Ministry of Defense reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the lives, safety, and well-being of its citizens, with air, naval, and land resources remaining on standby to address any further challenges posed by Storm Melissa.
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Where in the Caribbean is Melissa located?
The National Hurricane Center (NHC), in collaboration with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, provided an update on tropical weather conditions this Saturday, emphasizing that Hurricane Melissa persists as a significant threat in the Caribbean Sea. Currently positioned approximately 130 miles southeast of Jamaica, the hurricane continues to pose risks of heavy rainfall, perilous waves, and sustained winds that could impact Jamaica and neighboring islands in the immediate future. Meanwhile, the NHC also reported a period of relative calm across the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, with no new tropical cyclones anticipated to develop over the next seven days. This forecast suggests a temporary stabilization in the region following recent meteorological activity.
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Sosúa: The Dominican corner that defied Adolf Hitler’s hatred and saved lives from the Holocaust
The television program *Migrantes*, hosted by journalist Millizen Uribe and aired on Telesistema Channel 11, recently featured poignant testimonies from descendants of Jewish refugees who settled in Sosúa, Dominican Republic. These individuals shared deeply moving accounts of their grandparents’ experiences, who fled the Nazi genocide during the mid-20th century. The program shed light on the resilience and enduring legacy of these survivors. Julli Wellich Miller, one of the descendants, recounted the challenges her grandmother faced upon arrival in 1940, including the harsh tropical climate, which was a stark contrast to the European weather they were accustomed to. Despite adapting to the new environment, her grandmother carried the emotional scars of losing several relatives in the Holocaust. Miller emphasized her grandmother’s strength and the role of faith in their lives, stating, ‘The Jewish religion has a tradition that can be carried from home.’ Another descendant, Eric Czarlinski, shared his father’s harrowing experience of being forcibly taken from his home by the Nazis, describing it as ‘worse than what you see in the movies.’ Czarlinski also reflected on his mixed religious identity, acknowledging the difficulty of maintaining Jewish traditions while living in the capital. The Holocaust, known as the Shoah in Hebrew, was a systematic genocide aimed at exterminating the Jewish population of Europe during World War II. These testimonies serve as a powerful reminder of the atrocities of the past and the enduring strength of those who survived.
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Hurricane Melissa reaches category 4 strength, threatening catastrophic impacts
Hurricane Melissa has rapidly intensified into a formidable Category 4 storm, boasting maximum sustained winds of 220 km/h (140 mph). This marks the fourth major hurricane of the current season, with the Dominican Meteorological Institute (Indomet) confirming its peak strength at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Sunday. The hurricane is currently advancing westward at a speed of 7 km/h (4 mph), positioned about 195 km south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and 450 km south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba. Satellite and radar imagery from Punta Cana and Puerto Plata reveal extensive cloud cover across the Dominican Republic, with forecasts predicting intense showers, thunderstorms, and powerful waves along the northern and southern coasts. Indomet has issued warnings of ‘extremely dangerous’ conditions, highlighting the potential for catastrophic flooding and landslides in Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, including Haiti and the Dominican Republic, through mid-week. Authorities are urging residents in affected areas to take immediate precautions as the storm’s trajectory and intensity pose significant risks to life and property.
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Melissa is reaching hurricane force: where it is and what effects it will continue to cause
The Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) has issued a critical update on Tropical Storm Melissa, which is currently positioned at latitude 16.3 north and longitude 75.0 west. As of 7:00 am this Saturday, the storm was located approximately 385 kilometers southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and 270 kilometers southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. Melissa is advancing northwest at a speed of 6 km/h (4 mph), with a projected shift to a westward/northwestward trajectory expected to persist through Sunday. A turn toward the north/northeast is anticipated by Monday and Tuesday. Indomet has maintained its warning, emphasizing that Melissa will bring frequent and intense rainfall, particularly affecting the southeast, southwest, and northeast regions, accompanied by isolated wind gusts. The storm currently boasts sustained winds of up to 110 km/h, with gusts reaching 130 km/h. Rapid intensification is forecasted, with Melissa expected to achieve hurricane status by today and escalate to a major hurricane by Sunday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend roughly 185 kilometers from the storm’s center, with a minimum central pressure of 986 millibars. As Melissa progresses northward, heavy rainfall is expected to impact Caribbean coastal provinces, where flood warnings remain active. Indomet highlighted significant rainfall accumulations in various regions, including Santo Domingo Este (177.9 mm), Centro de los Héroes (175.6 mm), and Los Prados (160.5 mm). The Government has also cautioned about abnormal wave activity on the Caribbean coast, with waves exceeding 8 feet. Small and medium-sized vessels are advised to remain in port, while tourist resorts are urged to implement precautionary measures to safeguard coastal facilities. On the Atlantic coast, vessels are recommended to navigate cautiously near the shore, avoiding open waters.