Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
Tropical Storm Noel swept through the Dominican Republic with winds and heavy rains which led to the deaths of nearly 100 people, including a 15-year-old Seventh-day Adventist boy. Due to the devastating floods, hundreds on the island are homeless.
“Our church is saddened by the death of the young boy who drowned,” said Silvestre Gonzalez, executive secretary and spokesperson for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Dominican Republic. Gonzalez said that over 400 Adventist families lost their homes, four churches were destroyed and 28 other churches suffered severe damage.
“This amount of water that flooded our islands has not taken place in over 100 years,” added Gonzalez. “In some region the flooding was up to 10 meters deep.”
Noel pounded the island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with Haiti, for five straight days beginning Oct. 28. More than 50 bridges were destroyed, stranding communities waiting for help.
The Adventist and Development Relief Agency (ADRA) in the Dominican Republic, along with the church there, has been able to deliver 826 food bags to hundreds of families victimized by Noel, according to Gonzalez, who is also director for ADRA Dominican.
In the community of Arenoso, in the northeast part of the island, ADRA distributed 300 food baskets as well as clothes collected by churches throughout the country.
“There are communities that we still have not been able to even touch,” said Gonzalez. As the flood waters recede, he is hopeful to reach those neighborhoods in the days to come.
“We are a church of more than 241,000 members, and those members stand ready to help the victims,” said Gonzalez, “but we are limited until we have more resources available to help those left homeless rebuild their lives.”
In neighboring Haiti, dozens lost their lives and more are missing. ADRA Haiti is currently aiding hundreds of victims there.
After the island of Hispaniola, Noel drenched the Bahamas and proceeded to dump torrential rains in Southeast Mexico, causing thousands to be affected.
