Ian Pinard, the Minister of Public Works and Ports in Dominica, has told CBS News that there are at least 20 dead, and more are missing, due to tropical storm Erika which hammered the Caribbean island Wednesday and yesterday.
Pinard told CCN TV6 in Trinidad that many of those dead were killed in one community alone. He said 14 bodies have already been recovered.
“There are still persons missing,” he told the Trinidad and Tobago TV station. “The country’s infrastructure has been devastated.”
Photos and videos on social media showed floodwaters inundating streets and causing buildings to collapse on Dominica. Up to 15 inches of rain fell there between late Wednesday and early Thursday, the Antigua Weather Service said.
As of 11 a.m. ET today, Erika was located about 65 miles south-southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and was moving west-northwest at 18 mph, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm’s maximum sustained winds were at 50 mph.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has expressed the Community’s sympathy to the Government and People of Dominica over the tragic loss of life and the widespread damage caused by the devastating passage of Tropical Storm Erika over the island, Thursday.
LaRocque expressed confidence in the strength and resilience of the Dominican people to overcome their personal tragedies, and to work with the Government to reconstruct their communities, infrastructure and economy. He also pledged CARICOM’s full backing for the recovery effort:
“Through the coordinating efforts of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and Member States, we will assist with the damage and needs assessment process which we know is critical to mobilizing the required support for the reconstruction effort,” he stated.
The full message:
The Secretary-General, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), expresses deepest sympathy to the Government and People of Dominica over the tragic loss of life and widespread damage caused by the flooding associated with the passage of Tropical Storm Erika over the island.
The Community joins with the families of the deceased in mourning their loss. It is our hope that the several persons reported missing will be found and safely returned to their loved ones.
We are confident that the people will summon the necessary strength and resilience to overcome the personal tragedies they have suffered and work with the Government to reconstruct their communities, infrastructure, and economy.
Through the coordinating efforts of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and CARICOM Member States, we will assist with the damage and needs assessment process which we know is critical to mobilizing the required support for the reconstruction effort.
In this trying time of such disastrous loss, CARICOM stands with the Government and People of Dominica and extends our sincere wish for a full and speedy recovery.
The opposition PPP/C has also expressed its sympathy. It said in a statement:
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) expresses its solidarity with the Government and people of the Commonwealth of Dominica in this time of great devastation brought about by Tropical Storm Erika. Our deepest condolences to the families and relatives of those who have lost their lives.
The Party takes note of the increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters that wreak havoc on Caribbean countries, which are already classified as some of the most vulnerable to climate change. Tropical Storm Erika is a stark reminder that the international community must unite and take urgent and meaningful action on climate change. The need to provide urgent and direct assistance to affected countries, such as Dominica, is also underscored.
REUTERS