BACKGROUND

Sharing the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles with Haiti, The Dominican Republic is one of the largest countries in the Caribbean. It has a tropical climate with year-round warm and humid conditions generally associated with the Tropics. Due to its varied topography, the Dominican Republic has considerable variation in climate over short distances. It has two seasons, a wet season and a dry season, and is greatly influenced by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) like the rest of the Caribbean region.  El Niño episodes bring warmer and drier than average conditions between June and August and La Niña episodes bring colder and wetter conditions.

Located in the Atlantic hurricane belt, the country faces impacts of cyclones and hurricanes from August through October. As well as hurricanes, the Dominican Republic can be impacted by food, mudslides, and drought. Foods are the most common climate-related hazard. Heavy rainfall associated with cyclones and hurricanes contributes significantly to wet season rainfall totals. Heat waves, rising sea levels, and wildfires have also impacted the country in the last decade.

Although it has experienced sustained economic growth and stability over the last decades, the Dominican Republic still has high rates of poverty and inequality. It is considered a highly vulnerable country to climate change due to its geographic location and key economic sectors.

INFORM RISK INDEX (2022)    

Hazard and exposure: 4.5  |  Vulnerability: 3.9  |  Lack of coping capacity: 4.5 |  Total: 4.3 (medium)  |  Rank: 72

HAZARDS COVERED BY ANTICIPATION    

Cyclone / Typhoon / Hurricane

EXPERIENCE ON ANTICIPATION 

• In 2021, WFP developed early actions and set up cash-based interventions to minimize the impacts of hurricanes on affected populations. However, it has not been implemented yet as the triggers have not been met.
• In 2017, Start Network had an anticipatory alert out in response to the forecasted impact of a hurricane but funding was not allocated (alert 185).