Urgent Search for Missing Girl Swept Away by Creek in Dominican Republic

Search Intensifies for Missing 5-Year-Old Girl in Dominican Republic Villa Mella, Dominican Republic – A desperate search is underway for five-year-old Yuleidy Serrano Santana, who was swept away by a swollen creek in the El Primaveral sector of Villa Mella on Thursday afternoon. Heavy rains caused the creek to overflow, and Yuleidy was caught in the rushing water. The search began immediately with the help of local residents. Soon after, emergency responders joined the effort, including firefighters, Civil Defense personnel, the National Police, and 911 teams. Mayor Betty Gerónimo arrived on the scene to supervise the rescue operation. "We've been here since 3 p.m., coordinating the brigades and operational teams," said Mayor Gerónimo in an interview with CDN Canal 37. "We have approximately 50 people from various agencies, including Civil Defense and firefighters, working to cover the area." The challenging terrain, littered with debris and saturated with water, has hampered the search dogs. Drones are also being used in the search, which has expanded to more than a kilometer and a half along the creek and the Yuca River, where the creek flows. The community is rallying around the family, demonstrating their solidarity and hope for a successful outcome. The search continues.