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Hurricane Maria, The Images From Dominica Show What She Did
posted (September 20, 2017)
Tonight, as Hurricane Maria continues to churn towards Turks and Caicos, the storm has been downgraded to a Category 2. But that's after pommeling Puerto Rico and St. Crioix in the US Virgin Islands as a category 4 storm.

The damages on those US territories are still being calculated, but tonight more is known of the damages to the Caribbean Nation of Dominica. At least 8 people are dead, and as these images show, destruction caused by the 175 miles an hour winds is massive and widespread.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has officially declared a state of emergency and a curfew from 4 PM to 8 AM.

There are no phone services - only satellite phones, and Hartley Henry, the Principal Advisor to Prime Minister Skerrit put out a statement saying there has been tremendous loss of Housing and Public buildings. Here's what he told ABS TV in Antigua this morning:

HENRY adds that the main general hospital took a beating and patient care has been compromised.

Hurricane shelters lost their roofs, and there is a very urgent need for tarpaulins and other roofing materials. They are also asking for helicopter services to take food, water and tarpaulins to outer districts for shelter.

Prime Minister Skerritt has been out in the rural communities today on a fact finding mission. His advisor says, quote, "The country is in a daze - no electricity, no running water -as a result of uprooted pipes in most communities and definitely no landline or cellphone services on island, and that will be for quite a while. In summary, the island has been devastated…The country needs the support and continued help and prayers of all."

So far, the neighboring Eastern Caribbean island of St. Lucia has stepped up and will be used as the base for relief efforts into Dominica because the airports and sea ports are not operational.

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