MAP International is rushing to deliver emergency supplies to the Dominican Republic, where thousands of people have found themselves helpless in the wake of tremendous flooding spurred by the onslaught of Tropical Storm Noel. Thus far dozens of people are missing and at least 90 have died in floodwaters or mudslides on Hispaniola, the Caribbean island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti. More than 58,000 people have fled their homes.
Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez declared a state of emergency as government officials and relief organizations scrambled to respond to a disaster that has ravaged the country's infrastructure, destroying more than $32 million in roads, bridges, homes and other buildings.
Many families are still fleeing areas in the path of floodwaters still to come.
"It's a very urgent situation," said Chris Palusky, relief director for MAP International. "Many of these people have been seriously injured or their family members have been killed. They've lost their homes. They have nowhere to go. They need emergency medical assistance. MAP is providing that."
Chest-high floodwaters have enveloped substantial portions of the country with more flooding still to continue. In Villa Altagracia, a small village outside the capital of Santo Domingo, rivers have overrun their banks and swamped nearly all of the 200 homes.
On Thursday, helicopters and rescue crews were still scouring towns and villages, plucking survivors from isolated areas. MAP will continue to monitor the situation and tailor its response as events unfold.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
