The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo has announced that it will reopen for both routine and emergency consular services on Monday, October 27. This includes the Visas Assistance Center at Sambil. The decision follows an update from the Emergency Operations Center (COE) of the Dominican Republic, which lowered the alert level for Santo Domingo from red to yellow.
Despite this change, Hurricane Melissa continues to pose a threat. The embassy warned that "Hurricane Melissa remains a dangerous storm. It could change track at any time and is expected to bring significant and damaging rains to the Dominican Republic throughout the coming week." U.S. citizens in affected areas are advised to monitor alerts from COE and local media for updates on conditions.
COE has kept red alerts in place for four provinces: Barahona, Bahoruco, Independencia, and Pedernales. Thirteen provinces remain under yellow alert and another thirteen under green alert. Information about each province’s status can be found through COE's website or mobile app.
The embassy provided several safety recommendations for U.S. citizens, including staying informed through sources like the National Hurricane Center (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/) and COE (http://www.coe.gob.do/). Travelers with upcoming flights are encouraged to stay in contact with their airlines regarding possible delays or cancellations.
Other guidance includes avoiding floodwaters, moving to higher ground if necessary, not attempting to cross flooded bridges or roads, and following instructions from local authorities. The embassy also recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/ for timely updates.
Contact information was provided for emergencies and non-emergency inquiries at the U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo as well as numbers for State Department Consular Affairs.
U.S. citizens are urged to review their contingency plans and ensure travel documents are current and accessible.