Spanish
These are the 21 names assigned by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for Atlantic storms and hurricanes in 2025. Although not all of them will necessarily be used, they are available for a season that is projected to be one of the most active in recent years and that requires us to be more prepared than ever.
Every year, for six long months, we face heavy rains, floods, falling trees, landslides, and damage to homes. And what multiplies the effects is not only the natural phenomenon, but the lack of preparation and willingness to change the habit of locking the door after we've been robbed.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1st and ends on November 30th. For this year, the formation of between 13 and 19 named tropical cyclones is expected, of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes, and 3 to 5 reach the category of major hurricanes.The Dominican Republic is classified with a 10 out of 10 on the hurricane passage risk scale, and Santo Domingo, our capital, concentrates critical vulnerabilities: disordered urban planning, insufficient drainage, and high-risk inhabited areas.
Essential medium and long-term measures
Preparing Santo Domingo is not a matter of a single season. It requires a comprehensive and sustained plan over time. Among the key actions are:
• Improvement of urban drainage: Expanding and maintaining the stormwater network is essential to reduce the impact of rainfall. Step by step, seeking the resources to work on it. • Public education and awareness: Conduct ongoing campaigns that promote responsible practices in homes, universities, schools, and businesses.• Compliance with existing laws:
– Law 120-99, which prohibits the throwing or allowing the throwing of solid waste on public roads, and whose compliance must be rigorous, especially during the hurricane season. It is key to avoid floods caused by the human factor.
– Law 64-00 on the Environment, which obliges the protection of natural resources and punishes the irresponsible intervention of rivers, streams, and urban soils. Its application is key to prevent landslides, overflows, and other avoidable consequences.
– Law 147-02 on Risk Management, which establishes the responsibility of public institutions —including local governments— to identify vulnerable areas, prepare emergency plans, and coordinate the response to disasters.
What can we do from the local government?
From the National District City Hall, these are some concrete measures I propose: • Request from the COE the updated list of shelters in each constituency and widely share it with the communities. • Coordinate with the Urban Planning Department of the Mayor's Office of the D.N. and the MIVED to ensure that all active constructions comply with safety regulations. This includes securing scaffolding, wood, zinc sheets, loose tools, metal fences, mobile cranes, safety nets, waste containers, and any other material that could become a projectile during strong winds. • Convene the Exterior Advertising Commission of the Council of Aldermen to request that billboard companies take all safety measures in the face of the hurricane season, in order to prevent structures from falling. In addition, as they have already been doing, ask them to disseminate important information during times of heavy rain. • Review with the MOPC the infrastructure of tunnels, overpasses, pedestrian bridges, and underpasses. Following the collapse of the wall, caused by heavy rains and lack of maintenance, in the underpass of 27 de Febrero with Gómez in November 2023, where nine people died, a commission was created to evaluate these structures, but its reports have not yet been shared with the population. • Verify with CAASD the condition of the canals, many of them obstructed and filled with garbage. In addition, a survey is urgently needed to ensure that not a single filter cover is missing in the city and thus avoid accidents. The use of materials such as fiberglass or reinforced plastic should be considered to prevent the theft of metal covers, which are often stolen to be sold as scrap metal. • As I expressed in the last session of the Board of Aldermen, I propose to establish some points that serve as shelters for stray animals. We also need to take care of the animals during storm days. I understand that, with the support of the private sector, the Municipal Police and the firefighters, we could carry out a large-scale operation to collect them in time and guarantee their protection. • Strengthen community campaigns and emergency drills, especially in the most vulnerable sectors. • Request that ETED inspect the high-voltage cables and remove any bird nests that could cause electrical arcs. And coordinate with the city council a large-scale tree pruning operation, without mistreating them.• Request EDEEste and EDESUR for the urgent replacement of deteriorated poles, many of which are only held up by the cables and others have already caused accidents. These structures, in their current condition, would not be prepared to withstand even a Category 1 hurricane, whose sustained winds range between 119 and 153 kilometers per hour.
• Continue the work with INDOTEL, the telephone companies, and cable companies, within the framework of the plan for the removal of disused cables that disfigure the city and pose a risk. In coordination with the National District Mayor's Office, more than 16,000 feet of cable have already been removed from April 2024 to date. • Work with the Environment Department, the Mayor's Office Environmental Management Directorate, and the Fire Department to assess and prune trees in poor condition that could collapse during a storm. A few months ago, one fell in the Piantini sector, which fortunately did not cause any loss of life. • Convene the Emergency Committee, which has already been activated and has met twice under the current administration, which I welcome and applaud.Conclusion: It's not enough to plan, you have to act
Preparing Santo Domingo for the hurricane season is an urgent task, but also an opportunity to strengthen our city. Proactive preparation not only saves lives, but also builds trust and urban resilience.As a councilor, I make myself available to the municipal residents to inform them about any updates on any event. With this writing, I do not seek to alarm, but rather to invite us to prepare responsibly.
Santo Domingo has what it takes!
It's not about winning elections, it's about winning the hearts of the people.
Jorge Juan Feliz Pacheco
The author is a councilman for the National District
