Tropical Storm — Is It Really a Threat?
When people hear “tropical storm,” the general reaction is to not take it too seriously. We often assume it’s not dangerous enough to threaten our families, homes, or businesses—and only start paying attention when a hurricane is on the horizon.
But that mindset can be a big mistake. Here's an example of a tropical storm that ended in tragedy.
On August 15, 2008, Tropical Storm Fay made landfall on the eastern side of Haiti before exiting through the south. Fay was the sixth named storm of that year’s Atlantic hurricane season—and it had already claimed lives.
In the Dominican Republic, a woman drowned and her two children went missing when a creek overflowed in the town of Higüey, in the eastern part of the country, due to heavy rains brought by the storm.
The rainfall was so intense that much of the country was placed on high alert. Over 2,230 people had to take shelter in emergency centers in the capital, Santo Domingo, and more than 440 homes were affected.
As Fay moved westward toward Haiti, the devastation continued. One of the most heartbreaking stories came from the overflowing of the “Chau Chau” stream:
“The 32-year-old victim lost her life while trying to cross the flooded stream in a vehicle with her husband and two children,” said the director of Civil Defense. “Her husband survived, but the current swept their children away…”