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Hurricane Maria has reached Dominica, taking over the nation with her violent winds and heavy rain. The Category 5 storm isn’t as big as Hurricane Irma, but she is just as powerful, with sustained winds over 160 mph and even higher gusts. Maria is moving west northwest at about 10 mph. She is bringing about a foot of rain to the area, with localized spots possibly seeing upwards of 18 inches.
The storm has been called “catastrophic” and is expected to leave severe devastation in her wake.
The National Weather Service has issued hurricane warnings for several islands in the Caribbean including Puerto Rico, Culebra and Vieques and remains in effect for the British, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, and Martinique.
On Monday, Dominica’s Prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit took to Facebook to update the public about what was doing on in his country, which is inhabited by over 73,000 people. His posts have started to go viral, as many cannot even imagine how terrible the weather conditions must be on the island tonight.
“The winds are merciless! We shall survive by the grace of God,” Skerrit wrote a couple of hours ago.
“We do not know what is happening outside. We not dare look out. All we are hearing is the sound of galvanize flying. The sound of the fury of the wind. As we pray for its end,” read his next update.
“Certainly no sleep for anyone in Dominica. I believe my residence may have sustained some damage,” he then wrote. An hour later, Skerrit wrote, “Rough! Rough! Rough!” A short time later, the roof of his house was blown off.
“My roof is gone. I am at the complete mercy of the hurricane. House is flooding,” he wrote. And then he wrote, “I have been rescued.”
Skerrit is safe and posted the following message on Facebook about eight hours ago.
“Initial reports are of widespread devastation. So far we have lost all what money can buy and replace. My greatest fear for the morning is that we will wake to news of serious physical injury and possible deaths as a result of likely landslides triggered by persistent rains.
So, far the winds have swept away the roofs of almost every person I have spoken to or otherwise made contact with. The roof to my own official residence was among the first to go and this apparently triggered an avalanche of torn away roofs in the city and the countryside.
Come tomorrow morning we will hit the road, as soon as the all clear is given, in search of the injured and those trapped in the rubble.
I am honestly not preoccupied with physical damage at this time, because it is devastating…indeed, mind boggling. My focus now is in rescuing the trapped and securing medical assistance for the injured.
We will need help, my friend, we will need help of all kinds.
It is too early to speak of the condition of the air and seaports, but I suspect both will be inoperable for a few days. That is why I am eager now to solicit the support of friendly nations and organisations with helicopter services, for I personally am eager to get up and get around the country to see and determine what’s needed.”
