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Caribbean storm death toll rises Caribbean storm death toll rises
(about 6 hours later)
The toll in the Caribbean from Tropical Storm Olga, a rare December cyclone, has risen to 25 confirmed deaths, officials say. The toll in the Caribbean from Tropical Storm Olga, a rare December cyclone, has risen to at least 38 confirmed deaths, officials say.
Hardest-hit was the Dominican Republic, where 22 people were killed by floods and landslides. Hardest hit was the Dominican Republic, where at least 35 people have been 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. The death toll rose again on Friday after the bodies of 12 immigrants from neighbouring Haiti were discovered in Castanuelas, a town near the border.
Two people died in the neighbouring Haiti and one in Puerto Rico. The UN has urgently appealed for $4m (£2m) to help the many left homeless.
Victims 'illegal'
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 later weakened to a tropical depressing as it moved west toward Cuba, the US National Hurricane Center said. The flood waters are now subsiding, only to reveal the extent of casualties from the storm.
Anger in Santiago
In the Dominican Republic, at least 17 people were killed and a number were still missing after the Yaque River burst its banks in 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 residentThey (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. The 12 Haitians whose bodies were found on Friday probably "had no documents and hid themselves when we ordered the evacuation of the flooded areas", civil defence officer Juan Nunez said, according to Reuters news agency.
Added to at least 23 other deaths in the Dominican Republic, and a further three in Haiti and Puerto Rico, at least 38 people are now known to have died.
Tens of thousands have been left homeless, and the UN's World Food Programme has made an urgent appeal for funds to help them.
Dam opened
The majority of other casualties in the Dominican Republic happened in the northern city of Santiago, after officials, fearing a collapse of a dam, released billions of gallons of water into the already swollen Yaque River.
In pictures: Storm Olga
Furious residents later said officials had warned them just minutes before the water was released.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."They warned us but there was no time... everybody was sleeping," Sonia Duran Maldonado told the Associated Press news agency.
In pictures: Storm Olga
"They must beg our forgiveness for what has happened," she added."They must beg our forgiveness for what has happened," she added.
Five more people were killed in other parts of the Dominican Republic, and some 7,000 houses were damaged. Reports say some 10,000 homes have been damaged by the storm, along with thousands of hectares of banana and plantain crops, hitting export revenues, say authorities.
Two people died and a number of houses were destroyed in Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.
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.
Olga spared south-western areas of the Dominican Republic hit by Tropical Storm Noel six weeks ago, where dozens of people were killed.Olga 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.