Haiti and Dominican Republic bracing for impact from Tropical Storm Franklin

The populations of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which share the island of Hispaniola, are being warned to brace for heavy rainfall and possible landslides as Tropical Storm Franklin continues to make its way toward the island.

One of five storm systems currently in the Atlantic, Franklin is expected to begin taking aim at the island as early as Monday night. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Franklin could produce rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches — and some areas could see as much as 15 inches — across Hispaniola.

READ MORE: Five Atlantic systems include tropical storms Emily, Franklin, Gert. What forecast says

Late Sunday, authorities in the Dominican Republic’s Operations Emergency Center announced that the country would start feeling the effects of Franklin Monday evening. All 32 provinces have been placed under either yellow or red alert. There are currently 18 provinces under yellow alert — which means they could see weak to moderate flooding of rivers, streams and ravines — and 14 others have been placed under red alert. They include the capital of Santo Domingo and the border towns of Pedernales and Elias Piña, all of which can see more severe flashfoods as the system passes.

Franklin had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph Mondayt evening. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the entire south coast of the Dominican Republic from the Haiti border eastward to Isla Saona and a tropical watch has been issued for the eastern and northern coasts. A tropical storm warning also is in effect for the entire southern coast of Haiti, Anse d’Hainault eastward to the Dominican Republic border. Franklin formed in the eastern Caribbean shortly after Tropical Storm Emily, which is not expected to stay around long.

A tropical depression, Gert, formed around 5 p.m. Saturday and then became the eighth named tropical storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, forming east of the Leeward Islands on Monday. However, there are no watches or warnings.

In the Dominican Republic and in Haiti, people are being warned to refrain from crossing rivers, streams or mountains, and to avoid bathing in rivers in the provinces under alert.

Haiti’s Office of Civil Protection, which is responsible for preparing and responding to disasters, has also issued yellow alerts. It warned that heavy downpours, spontaneous gusts of wind and heavy seas are expected on the southern peninsula of the country starting Tuesday evening. The regions of the South, Grand’Anse and Nippes, all still recovering from a deadly earthquake two years ago this month, will be among the first to experience torrential rains, wind gusts and choppy sea conditions. These threats are expected to extend nationwide on Wednesday.

While the Dominican Republic and Haiti are at risk for landslides during heavy downpours, the latter is looking at an even more complicated reality.

Jerry Chandler, the head of Haiti’s Office of Civil Protection said, the projection of 15 inches of rain in Haiti “is a big concern,” given the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters and the fact that the ground is already saturated due to rains in recent days.

In addition to the environmental degradation throughout Haiti, emergency personnel with both the Haitian government and United Nations have the challenge of escalating gang violence, which has made it difficult to get aid from one region to another due to armed groups controlling major roads in and out of the capital.

The increase in violence forced some aid groups last week to temporarily close their doors and added to the homeless rolls as Haitians, escaping the rampage, fled to school yards, public plazas and a gymnasium for refuge. Thousands are sleeping outdoors, exposed to the elements.

The Port-au-Prince-based Research and Analysis Center for Human Rights said Monday that the attacks by the Grand Ravine gang and their allies against five of the 25 neighborhoods inside the capital’s Carrefour-Feuilles district has resulted in at least 31 dead, including 13 people who were burned alive, and another eight are missing. The group launched an appeal for an emergency intervention for those who have been displaced.

On Monday, government and humanitarian aid agencies were meeting to determine availability of supplies for the coming storm.

Haiti’s Office of Civil Protection estimates there are about 7,000 people in the Port-au-Prince area who are currently living in open spaces like public plazas after recently being forced to abandoned their homes by extreme gang violence, and another 3,000 to 4,000 in the Artibonite Valley region just to the north. It is also estimated that there is at least twice the number also living with host families.

Although no formal evacuation order has been given, the Civil Protection agency asked communities that are vulnerable to landslides and rockslides, flooding and heavy swells to prepare to evacuate.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the Haitian government have asked the international community to help the Haiti National Police combat gangs. On Sunday, a security task force from the Kenyan government arrived in Port-au-Prince, accompanied by the U.S., to meet with the government, the police and the U.N.’s political office.

Members of the delegation spent Monday morning meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Henry and his cabinet, during which eight different government ministers, including the office of justice and planning, spoke about the challenges the ongoing gang violence and kidnappings present. The visiting delegation also met with members of the Haitian government’s security apparatus, the Haiti National Police, the foreign diplomatic corps and the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti.

Kenya said last month it is considering leading a multinational force into Haiti and deploying 1,000 of its police officers to help train and assist Haiti’s national police.