All Systems Down: Dominica Uncontactable Following Hurricane Disaster

NEW YORK, September 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Commonwealth of Dominica is in a state of emergency in the wake of the category five Hurricane Maria which reached landfall of the small island nation overnight.

Prime Minister of Dominica, the Honorable Roosevelt Skeritt, took to Facebook for help in the early hours of the morning:

“We will need help of all kinds…I am eager to solicit the support of friendly nations and organizations with helicopter services…” 

Shortly following this message, the Prime Minister became uncontactable, and the urgency to mobilize efforts on the ground has increased.  

The relief efforts are being jointly coordinated by the Permanent Mission of the Commonwealth of Dominica Mission to the UN and the Consulate General of the Commonwealth of Dominica in New York.

Individuals and businesses are being asked to view the website dominiCARElief.org to lend their support, donation or otherwise, and the country is seeking assistance from nations around the world who can assist in recovery efforts. 

Video footage has emerged from Senior Legal Counsel to the Prime Minister, Antony Astaphan, who shared his experience of the hurricane in the early hours of this morning.

The Commonwealth of Dominica is a small island nation located in the Eastern Caribbean. In 2015, the island sustained significant damage from Storm Erika. It is expected that damage to the island will far exceed previous natural disasters. 

Updates can be accessed on http://www.dominiCARElief.org @dominica_relief

CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA  
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400H   
New York, N.Y. 10017

SOURCE The Commonwealth of Dominica