SEVEN confirmed dead as Maria's Dominica destruction becomes visible

Last updated: September 20, 2017 at 22:57 pm

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Seven people have been confirmed dead in Dominica after it was battered by Hurricane Maria.

The second maximum-strength hurricane of the 2017 season made a direct hit across the island late on Monday night local time. WIC News understands one fatality occurred in Morne Prosper, and the other five in Dos Dane, a village close to Portsmouth. The location of the seventh confirmed death is unknown. This figure is likely to fluctuate as the full picture of the damage become clear and authorities reach rural communities.

Today the first photographs and videos from Dominica made their way to the outside world, showing scenes of damage across the Nature Isle.

WIC News has this evening heard from its reporter on the ground, who said that he had "just got back comms" but was "homeless".

"Whole place is fucked," he added in a later message.

Until late last night, there was no means of accessing, or even communicating with, Dominicans. Today, arrangements are being made to ensure food, water, medical supplies, and other forms of aid are sent to the island.

Hartley Henry, principal advisor to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, spoke to Dominica’s leader earlier today via satellite phone.

"In summary, the island has been devastated. The housing stock significantly damaged or destroyed," he said.

WATCH: The first video from Roseau, Dominica

"All available public buildings are being used as shelters; with very limited roofing materials evident. The country needs the support and continued help and prayers of all. Will update further as new information is received."

The main hospital has suffered a "beating", Henry added, with patient care compromised. Communication between towns and villages outside of the capital Roseau appears to be sparse.

"The country is in a daze – no electricity, no running water – as a result of uprooted pipes in most communities and definitely to landline or cellphone services on island, and that will be for quite a while."

FULL STATEMENT FROM HARTLEY HENRY

At the moment the island is essentially uncontactable and information is trickling out via amateur radio operators, although in the last hour patchy communication does seem to be functioning in certain areas. Worried relatives, especially those who have children and family members studying at Ross University School of Medicine, have been in contact with WIC News.

Earlier today the university announced that they were in the process of arranging boat evacuations to take their community to St Lucia.

In a statement, they said that they are "grateful to report at this time that we have few reports of injuries, and those are said to be somewhat minor."

[caption id="attachment_5854" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Volunteers in Barbados pack relief efforts bound for Dominica. ©Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency[/caption]

A C26 aircraft has flown across parts of the currently uncontactable island, showing buildings without roofs, trees uprooted and utility poles torn down. The runway the country's main airport, Douglas-Charles, has flooded.

Flooding in other areas, including Bath Estate and Coulibistrie, has also been reported.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Ronald Jackson from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency said the flyover shows "significant damage”.

WIC News understands that a helicopter from Martinique – which did not suffer any severe effects of Hurricane Maria –  attempted to visit Dominica yesterday but poor weather made the journey impossible.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit – who has reportedly already attempted to survey the destruction on food – is said to be heading out today to assist citizens stranded in rural communities.

United Caribbean response

The Caribbean Community has come together in support of Dominica, and there have been several demonstrations of solidarity.

The nearby islands of Saint Lucia and Antigua have been identified as the main staging points for international relief.

Both countries have agreed to waive all landing charges, as well as any other charge that they would normally apply to goods – meaning all goods headed for Dominica will be processed as though they had been delivered directly there.

In addition, both Saint Lucia and Antigua have allocated storage facilities to collect relief aid.

[caption id="attachment_5877" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Hurricane Maria damage in Dominica.[/caption]

Saint Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport, located in Vieux Fort, will be the focal point for large shipments, and two Venezuelan helicopters have already been identified to fly from Hewanorra to Canefield Airport, the smaller of Dominica’s two airports.

Cargo contained in the helicopters will be distributed from Canefield Airport.

Sources have told WIC News they are hoping that larger relief planes will be able to land at the larger airport by the end of the week.

'Intense' night of storming

The last official communication from the island prior to the storm was from the prime minister.

He posted live updates of the hurricane’s progress on Monday, writing on Facebook soon after Maria’s landfall that his home had suffered damage: “My roof is gone. I am at the complete mercy of the hurricane. House is flooding.”

After being rescued, Skerrit wrote: "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."

Dominica was still in the recovery phase following Tropical Storm Erika, which hit the island in 2015.

More then 24 people died and nearly 600 people were left homeless when the storm caused more than a billion dollars of carnage.

A fundraising effort – DominiCARElief – organised by Dominica's high commission in London is underway. More information can be found and donations can be made at www.dominicarelief.org.