Weather Alert – Hurricane Fiona – Consular Services (September 20, 2022)

Location:  All parts of the Dominican Republic

Event:  The National Hurricane Center has reported that heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash floods may continue today (September 20, 2022) throughout the Dominican Republic.  The Dominican Republic Center of Emergency Operations indicates alert status for 27 provinces.

The Embassy wil remain open, and in-person services at our Consular Agencies in Punta Cana and Puerto Plata will resume on Wednesday, September 21.  For more information, please visit the webpages for Consular Agency Punta Cana and Consular Agency Puerto Plata.

For U.S. citizens with emergencies, see contact information below.

Safety Recommendations Related to Severe Weather:  

·     Remain current on weather, road and water conditions through news sources such as the National Hurricane Center https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

·     Contact police or other authorities if you encounter dangerous conditions and follow warnings and directions provided.  If you have an emergency, call 911.  The tourist police (POLITUR) central number is 809-200-3500 (assistance available in English) or via mobile app “POLITUR APP”

·     Spanish language alerts are available from the website of the Dominican Emergency Operations Center (COE) http://www.coe.gob.do/ or via their mobile app “alertaCOE”

·     U.S. citizen residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Program which enables the Embassy to share both emergency and routine information relevant to the Dominican Republic at https://step.state.gov/

·     Visit Ready.gov for tips on emergency preparedness

·     Update and review your family’s contingency plans.  All U.S. citizens should have evacuation plans that do not rely on U.S. government assistance.

·     Make sure your travel documents are up to date and easily accessible.

·     If you are in an emergency and are safe, be sure to notify friends and loved ones.

·     Never attempt to drive through standing water; find alternate routes.

Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Av. República de Colombia 57, Santo Domingo 
Emergencies: 809-567-7775
Non-emergency inquiries: SDOAmericans@state.gov
Website: https://do.usembassy.gov/ or follow on Twitter and Facebook

Contact the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs 1-888-407-4747 toll-free from the United States and Canada 1-202-501-4444 from other countries or follow on Twitter and Facebook
Dominican Republic Country Information Page
Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for security updates