Caribbean death toll rises from tropical storm by Rob McElwee
Tropical storm Olga has claimed 22 lives on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. Northern parts of the Dominican Republic were worst affected from torrential rain.
Around 34,000 people were forced to leave their homes as rising floodwaters inundated villages. More than 8,000 houses were destroyed along with four main bridges. Much of the damage was caused when the floodgates of the Tavera dam were opened, which was filling to near full capacity by the heavy rain. Water from the dam poured down into the Yaque River, breaking its bank and flooding nearby villages.
Across the border in Haiti, Olga killed 3 people as heavy rain and strong winds destroyed homes, uprooted trees and sparked off landslides.
Tropical storm Olga has now weakened and broken apart as it continued its journey across the Caribbean. Remnants of the storm are still producing bands of heavy rain in some parts, more especially over the Bahamas.
Olga was the second storm to hit the Dominican Republic in just over a month. In late October, tropical storm Noel killed at least 90 people and left 42 missing.
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