On Wednesday, tropical Storm Franklin struck the island of Hispaniola – which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti – raising concerns of potential devastating landslides and intense flooding in the two nations.
Projections and current status
Meteorologists anticipated Franklin to hover over Hispaniola throughout the day.
Forecasters warned the storm could dump up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain, with a maximum of 15 inches (38 centimeters) for the central region of Hispaniola.
Reports are that on Wednesday morning, the storm was centered about 105 miles (170 kilometers) west-southwest of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. It had maximum winds of 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts and was moving northward at 10 mph (17 kph). It made landfall along the country’s southern coast near Bahahona.
More on Tropical Storm Franklin
Storm Watch: Haiti, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic on alert for Tropical Storm Franklin
Haiti’s heightened concerns
Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry, anticipating the storm’s intensity, had urged the Haitian populace on Tuesday to amass essential provisions like water, food, and medicines.
Amidst this, officials turned their attention to the plight of over 200,000 individuals displaced due to gang violence.
Reports are that many of them, bearing the brunt of their circumstances, were either seeking refuge on the streets or improvising with makeshift shelters.
Dominican Republic’s proactive measures
The Dominican Republic’s authorities were quick to spring into action.
Protective measures saw a temporary closure of educational institutions, government offices, and some airports.
A staggering 24 provinces, out of the total 31, were under a red alert.
It is reported that by early Wednesday, more than 40 aqueducts were out of service because of heavy rains, affecting more than 830,000 customers.
Early indications of the storm’s impact were evident in the flooding reported in areas spanning Santo Domingo and its surroundings.
In preparation for the threat, authorities facilitated the evacuation of 31 families.
Franklin is the seventh named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
Reports are that an eighth named storm, Gert, dissipated on Tuesday.
