As a tropical island in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic (DR) has been among the first countries to feel the damaging effects of climate change. For example, while the DR has historically experienced hurricanes during the June - September season, climate change has since increased the intensity of storms and forced the country to reckon with more flooding, mudslides and building damage. I was recently in the capital, Santo Domingo, during a severe rainstorm, and saw the road outside my hostel turn into a rushing river of water that was at least three feet deep. The storm washed out highways and bridges and delayed my travel for two days. The DR is also dealing with the opposite of too much water -- drought. In drier regions of the country, water scarcity is becoming more of a severe issue, impacting large industries like agriculture, as well as smaller, rural towns, and their ability to receive running water. My friends who live in the more desert-like southwest region of the DR have told me about living without running water for weeks. Some Dominicans don't have access to running water at all. This lack of water can cause a public health crisis, such as the current outbreak of cholera in the south.
