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Caribbean hit by tropical storm Caribbean storm death toll rises
(about 8 hours later)
Tropical storm Olga, a rare December cyclone, has caused major floods and landslides in the Caribbean, killing at least 14 people, officials say. The toll from Tropical Storm Olga, a rare December cyclone, has risen to 25 confirmed deaths in the Caribbean, officials say.
Hardest-hit was the Dominican Republic, where 11 people died and thousands had to flee their homes. Two deaths were reported in Haiti, one in Puerto Rico. Hardest-hit was the Dominican Republic, where 22 people were killed by floods and landslides.
The majority died in the northern city of Santiago, after officials, fearing a collapse of a dam, released water in the already swollen Yaque River.
Two people died in the neighbouring Haiti and one in Puerto Rico.
The storm slammed into the region on Tuesday - 10 days after the official end of the Atlantic hurricane season.The storm slammed into the region on Tuesday - 10 days after the official end of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Olga is weakening rapidly but more heavy rain is likely, forecasters say. Olga later weakened to a tropical depressing as it moved west toward Cuba, the US National Hurricane Center said.
Downpours could cause possible flash floods and mudslides n the south-eastern Bahamas, eastern Cuba and Jamaica as well as the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami warned. Anger in Santiago
'Catastrophe' In the Dominican Republic, at least 17 people were killed and a number were still missing after the Yaque River burst its banks in of Santiago, officials said.
In the Dominican Republic, at least 11 people were killed and a number were still missing after the Yaque River burst its banks near the northern city of Santiago, officials said. They (officials) warned us but there was no time... everybody was sleeping. They must beg our forgiveness for what has happened Sonia Duran MaldonadoSantiago resident
It happened after local officials ordered the release of billions of gallons of water from the near-capacity Tavera Dam, sending huge waves crashing into parts of the country's second-largest city.
Furious residents later said officials had warned them just minutes before the water was released.
"They warned us but there was no time... everybody was sleeping," Sonia Duran Maldonado told the Associated Press news agency.
In pictures: Storm OlgaIn pictures: Storm Olga
At least 5,000 local residents were earlier forced to leave their homes. "They must beg our forgiveness for what has happened," she added.
Heavy rains also forced the authorities to release water from a near-capacity dam in the already swollen river, the Associated Press news agency reported. Five more people were killed in other parts of the Dominican Republic, and some 7,000 houses were damaged.
Some local residents later told a local radio station that they had not been warned of the water release, and officials acknowledged that this might have caused some of the deaths, AP said. Two people died and a number of houses were destroyed in Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.
"We have an emergency situation. It's a catastrophe," provincial Governor Jose Izquierdo said.
In Puerto Rico, one man was killed by a rain-triggered landslide, officials said.In Puerto Rico, one man was killed by a rain-triggered landslide, officials said.
The storm also left tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans without power or water.The storm also left tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans without power or water.
Serious damage was reported in Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Two people were reported to have died there. Olga spared south-western areas of the Dominican Republic hit by Tropical Storm Noel six weeks ago, where dozens of people were killed.
The storm spared south-western areas of the Dominican Republic hit by Tropical Storm Noel six weeks ago, where dozens of people were killed.
It was only the 10th named storm to develop after the official end of the Atlantic hurricane season since records began in 1851.It was only the 10th named storm to develop after the official end of the Atlantic hurricane season since records began in 1851.