Dominica ravaged by Hurricane Maria

by Daria Blackwell OCC and Sail-WorldCruising.com on 19 Sep 2017 No sooner have we said how devastated we are for the entire Caribbean, than yet more grief comes hurtling in. Aid is surely needed, and to all of you out there actively doing that, we say thank you on behalf of all those you are assisting and presently not only feel helpless, but have no voice to praise you for your efforts.

Aid is required for the people hit by Irma and now we have those devastated by Maria, as well. It is catastrophic and of course, a situation that unfolds further by the minute. Of course, Dominica is a Sovereign State, and just like Antigua and Barbuda, there is no big G8 nation to come along and pay the bills. Both have been hit so very, very hard, and devastation reigns supreme. At the bottom of this piece we have a link to the International Rescue Group who are mobilising vessels to assist.

Daria Blackwell is the Rear Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club and writes of what is occurring with Dominica in the aftermath of Maria:

From Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Caribbean island, the Commonwealth of Dominica via Facebook:

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.

International Rescue Group

A reputable and efficient organisation getting aid directly to the islands in the ongoing hurricane crises.

Hurricane Irma and Maria Response: Please donate to our GoFundMe fundraiser. Looking for boats to take supplies to needy locations in the Caribbean, Turks & Caicos, St. Martin, Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Dominica etc. We can source water filters and are building coordination teams in the disaster zones. Even if our boats arrive weeks after the storm's devastation, help is still desperately needed! Please sign in and introduce yourself, your location and where you can pick up supplies. You can start the process of assisting here