Tropical Storm Bertha Floods Several Communities In Dominican Republic

Tropical Storm Bertha affected the Dominican Republic today with heavy rains that flooded several communities in the east and felling trees in Santo Domingo, according to a preliminary report by the authorities.  The Emergency Operations Center (COE) maintained a tropical storm warning and alert levels, high, moderate and low for 15 provinces. The agency reported that the precipitation caused the overflow of the Soco River in the province of San Pedro de Macoris.

The flooding in Dominican Republic has caused the isolation of the communities of Lima, Campiña, Cabeza de Toro, Concho Primo, Atilano 1 and 2 . The rains also left the villages of Arroyo Grande and  La Cuchilla in Seibo (east) without communication, while in San Cristóbal (south) at least seven houses were flooded in the Moscow neighborhood. Authorities believed that although center of Bertha has moved away the rains can still cause more floods. 

A yellow alert (moderate) was given to the districts of San Pedro de Macoris (east), Duarte (northeast), Monte Plata (southeast), the National District and Santo Domingo province (south). Five other provinces are under the (minimal) green alert. Dominican weather and relief authorities claim that the effects of Bertha will affect the northeast, southeast, southwest and north of the country during the next 36 hours. People should refrain from crossing rivers, creeks and streams.