Flooding Kills at Least Four in Haiti and the Dominican Republic

At least four people have died and two others are reported missing in southwestern Haiti after flooding struck the region, according to Haiti's Direction de la protection civile, cited by The Associated Press. The agency said the flooding affected more than 3,200 families and destroyed hundreds of homes, while landslides damaged several roads in the southwest.

In neighboring Dominican Republic, at least 30 localities were cut off by the rains and more than 100 homes were flooded, according to the country's Emergency Operations Center. The two nations share the island of Hispaniola.

The rains are attributed to a low-pressure system crossing the northern Caribbean, the AP reported.

Separately, the Dominican Defense Ministry said on Oct. 26 that it would keep its border with Haiti open, stating that the current security situation did not warrant extraordinary measures. The decision followed a review by military commanders and intelligence officials, led by Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, according to Radio Télévision Caraïbes. The ministry said existing security arrangements would remain in place, with cross-border commerce and daily life in frontier communities continuing as usual while authorities monitor developments.