Hurricane Maria, the second major storm to hit the Caribbean this month, crept toward the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico today after it ripped through Dominica, causing widespread devastation.
Fierce winds and rain lashed mountainous Dominica for hours as Maria caused flooding and tore roofs from homes as an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit posted on Facebook that Dominica has suffered widespread damage and lost all that money can buy.
Prime Minister said his focus now is in rescuing the trapped and securing medical assistance for the injured. He called on the international community for help. Authorities in the US territory of Puerto Rico warned that people in wooden or flimsy homes should find safe shelter before the storm’s expected arrival there on Wednesday.
The nearby island of Martinique has declared a maximum-level alert while another French island, Guadeloupe, ordered evacuations. The storm is moving roughly along the same track as Irma, the hurricane that devastated the region this month.
