Storm veers; at least 20 die in flooding
Tropical Storm Noel veered into the Dominican Republic, causing flooding and mudslides that killed at least 20 people and left another 20 missing, officials said.
The storm had been forecast to hit hardest in Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.
“It took us by surprise,” said Guarionex Rosado as he left his home in La Cienaga, one of Santo Domingo’s most affected neighborhoods.
Noel temporarily knocked out the Dominican Republic’s entire power system, plunging 9.4 million people into darkness for about two hours, officials said.
Ten of the missing disappeared when the Maimon River overflowed its banks and sent a torrent of muddy water through the town of Piedra Blanca.
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