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Caribbean storm kills 13 people Caribbean storm kills 20 people
(about 7 hours later)
At least 13 people have been killed in flooding in the Dominican Republic following torrential rains dumped by Tropical Storm Noel. At least 20 people have been killed in flooding in the Dominican Republic following torrential rains dumped by Tropical Storm Noel.
The deaths were reported in the Dominican capital Santo Domingo, and along the south coast. Most of the deaths were reported along the south coast, east of the capital Santo Domingo.
It is feared the death toll will rise, with several others reported missing. It is feared the death toll will rise, with another 20 reported missing.
The storm was expected to pour 25-50cm (10-20in) of rain on the Dominican Republic and neighbouring Haiti, the US National Hurricane Center said. The storm was continuing to drop heavy rain on the country and on neighbouring Haiti, as it travelled towards the Bahamas and Cuba.
By early Monday evening (2100 GMT) the centre of the storm had passed and was heading north-west, past the eastern tip of Cuba towards the Bahamas. By midnight (0400 GMT), Noel's centre was about 305 miles (490km) south-east of Nassau.
However, on the island of Hispaniola - divided between the Dominican Republic and Haiti - rain continued to fall, forcing river levels higher. Power cuts
Several bridges were reported to have collapsed, cutting off communities. At least 10in (25cm) of rain has already fallen on the island of Hispaniola - divided between the Dominican Republic and Haiti - and the rain is continuing to fall, forcing river levels higher.
Hundreds of people were being evacuated, amid fears of flash floods and landslides, the Dominican authorities said. Several bridges are reported to have collapsed, cutting off communities, and early on Monday the entire power system for the Dominican Republic was temporarily knocked out.
The head of the Dominican National Emergency Committee, retired General Luis Luna Paulino, said 13 deaths had been confirmed. Hundreds of people were being evacuated, amid fears of flash floods and landslides, the country's authorities said.
He told Reuters there was a report of a family being buried when their house collapsed, and another of a family in a car killed by a falling wall. Great damage has already been done to crops.
"If those two accidents are confirmed then the deaths climb to 18," he said. At least 10 people died when a river burst its banks east of Santo Domingo in the single worst incident reported.
The newspaper Diario Libre said on its website that farmers had suffered big losses and that numerous areas had lost power. Reports suggested between three and five people died in another incident in San Jose de Ocoa, also to the east of the capital.
Deforested slopesDeforested slopes
Hispaniola is particularly vulnerable to flooding because of its steep hills and because many houses are no more than shacks.Hispaniola is particularly vulnerable to flooding because of its steep hills and because many houses are no more than shacks.
While there were not as yet any reports of fatalities from Haiti, the country often suffers worse from flooding than its neighbour because so much of it has been deforested.While there were not as yet any reports of fatalities from Haiti, the country often suffers worse from flooding than its neighbour because so much of it has been deforested.
The town of Cabaret, north of the capital Port-au-Prince, where floods earlier this month killed at least 23 people, was being evacuated, and Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis urged people to seek shelter. The storm had been forecast to hit Haiti hardest, but it veered towards the Dominican Republic on Monday.
"It's very serious now," he said. "I think this has taken some officials by surprise. The storm was predicted to go more toward Haiti," aid worker Holly Inuretta told the Associated Press news agency.
"It's moving very slowly and dropping a lot of rain."