President Luis Abinader called off work for Tuesday, 22 August 2023 after 12pm and on Wednesday, 23 August 2023 after a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace to decide on measures to mitigate the impact of Tropical Storm Franklin.
Tropical Storm Franklin is expected to bring upwards of 300mm of rain to most of the areas in the country.
The storm has been slowly moving as it turns north on the path that would take it to cross the Dominican Republic. There is uncertainty as to the exact path the storm will take. Everyone agrees that it will bring more rains than the country has had as far back as most people can remember.
As early as this Tuesday, intense rains began falling in the country.
The director of the COE, Juan Manuel Méndez said that teams were being positioned to assist people in areas where floods traditionally happen. He said all contingency plans have been activated and indicated that the positioning of teams have been sent to places where floods traditionally occur. Mendez spoke of the activating of the contingency plans of institutions and first response organizations such as the Lightning Plan of the Armed Forces, the National Police, the Fire Department, the Civil Defense, the Red Cross, Economic Canteens and the Social Plan of the Presidency.
The director of the National Weather Office (Onamet), Gloria Ceballos estimated minimums of 100 and 200 millimeters in some areas and up to 375 millimeters in isolated points.
So far, the storm is about 400 kilometers south-southwest of Santo Domingo and maintains a slow movement of 7km/h with winds of up to 85km/h.
The enormous storm has baffled weather forecasters. An 8am forecast by the NHC NOAA of the United States stated: “Poorly organized Franklin drifting westward.” The previous 5am report had indicated the storm had taken a NW turn.
MikeFisher for DR1 Weather & Beyond Forum reported at 9am: “This Franklin is indeed a very weird thing. It is still barely moving forward, doing a few steps in different directions all night long.
Now it shows at 3mphrs West, but it is simply stationary, moving on the same spot back and forth.
And the strangest thing is that it does not get taken down by the wind shear, which been all the time present. We just can sit and look and wait until it moves.
“Tonight late night and until tomorrow afternoon should be the time for our rock ‘n’ roll dance on the Island. All non swimmers: Keep your life jackets handy.”
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Presidency
Diario Libre
DR1 Weather
22 August 2023