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Ronald Jackson, head of CDEMA
Category Five Hurricane Maria pounded Dominica on Monday night, leaving the world fearing widespread devastation on the eastern Caribbean island, but there is still no clear word on the true level of destruction, as communication services were knocked out by the storm.
The hurricane, with winds of 160 miles per hour, badly damaged the Dominica Prime Minister's house overnight and left much of the island in ruins.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit posted on Facebook that initial reports are of widespread devastation.
He said the country had lost all that money can buy.
Maria is the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in Dominica - a country with a population of 73,000.
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has said it is mobilising a team to assist the country.
The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard is also preparing to send a supply vessel and take Defence Force personnel to Dominica.
Several other Caribbean islands, including St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat, have also reported damage to their telecommunications infrastructure. Telephone calls to those regions have failed to connect.
Hurricane Maria is now taking aim on islands already crippled by Hurricane Irma, as it barrells toward St. Croix and threatens severe damage to Puerto Rico.
CDEMA
Meanwhile, the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is facing a challenge entering Dominica as it seeks to help the country in its recovery efforts.
Ronald Jackson, head of CDEMA, told RJR News that although Maria has passed Dominica, it is still creating challenges to the country's marine and air space.
"There is a problem in terms of high winds, high waves, so marine vessels are going to be challenged at this time; and then also the issue of whether or not the airport is able to take its regular sized craft at this time. So we're looking at helicopters and also boats, but when the meteorological clearances have been given to fly into or sail into those locations," he asserted.
Mr. Jackson said the problem is compounded as CDEMA is not able to communicate with Dominica due to disruption in the island's telecommunication network. The last communication between CDEMA and Dominica was about 2 o'clock Tuesday morning, he said.
Mr. Jackson has predicted that there could widespread impact to the building stock as well as coastal challenges in the country.
"The rivers were reported as being swollen and overflowing earlier in the night...and so we do expect damage consistent with flooding (and) landslides from within some of the valleys where these rivers flow," said the CDEMA boss.
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