When landfall of Hurricane Maria occurred on the eastern coast of Dominica at 9:15 in the evening last night, maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour buffeted the small island nation.
Dominica Suffers From Widespread Devastation From Direct Hit by Hurricane Maria
Fears that Dominica suffered a similar fate to Barbuda have been increasing with initial reports of how Maria left the island just as it arrived: as a Category 5 hurricane, heading off towards the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as its next victims.
Roosevelt Skerrit rode out the hurricane at his home in Dominica. He lost his roof and his house flooded — but he did not dream of leaving the island nation of which he is the current prime minister. Prior to his being rescued, he rode out the hurricane as did other citizens who remained on the island to face the full fury and force of Maria.
In the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 — only mere hours after enduring the wrath of Maria — Skerrit posted the following text at his Facebook Internet web site:
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.
Amidst the posting of prayers of others on Facebook, one appreciative person commented how Skerrit is “A Prime Minister who has a caring heart to ride the hurricane with his people.”
Summary
Dominica and Barbuda have become unwilling brethren in a cruelly exclusive club, reeling from the direct catastrophic punch of Category 5 hurricanes. Sure, the sustained winds of Hurricane Irma were clocked at a speed of 185 miles per hour — but what is a difference of 25 miles per hour amongst friends?
Barbuda was not unaffected by Hurricane Maria, as it was under a tropical storm warning in the dangerous northeast quadrant of the storm. No reports have surfaced as to any further damage which was sustained by the already-devastated island.
The animation at the top of this article tells much of the story: the purple outline from which the well-defined eye of Hurricane Maria exited was none other than the island nation of Dominica.
One thing is for certain: do not think of visiting either Dominica or Barbuda for a vacation in the foreseeable future. Rather, offer your thoughts and prayers to their residents, who will need all of the help which they can get…
Source: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce of the United States.
